Race and Gender in a ‘Local’ Boxing and Exercise Gym in the East Midlands

<p dir="ltr">Amateur boxing gyms can serve as valuable assets to individuals and local communities. They often attract people from diverse backgrounds and provide social functions that extend beyond sport and leisure. This thesis is a sociological case study of an urban boxing gym in Leicester, United Kingdom. The aim of the thesis is to gain a deeper understanding of the social role(s) that this sporting space plays in the lives of its young working class, ethnic minority users. It utilises an ethnographic and interview-based approach to examine some of the social functions that this gym possesses. More specifically, it focusses on how the gym can impact both the racialised and gendered identities of young people. The data was collected using a combination of observations and semi-structured interviews with twenty-seven participants. The findings revealed that: (1) cultural resistance was being exercised in various forms. Gym members challenged colonial stereotypes and negative ideas of racialised masculinities and femininities. (2) The gym environment facilitated the creation of strong social networks among ethnic minorities, empowering users through mutual support, solidarity, and a collective advocacy. (3) Distinct forms of masculinity emerged, defined by a philosophy rooted in discipline, aggression, toughness, strength, and violence. These forms were further embodied and expressed through the development and display of strong, physically sculpted bodies. The thesis concludes that boxing gyms, as such, when understood as socially and politically significant entities, can be seen as a tool for positive identity formation, resistance, and change – especially when set against culturally oppressive and racist forces.</p>