Women in Urban Sports: Roller Derby, a Leisure Experience

Abstract

This presentation has the purpose of displaying the advancements of the research Appropriation of the Public Space. Participation of Women in Urban Sports financed by the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez (México), Universidad Pedagógica Nacional (Colombia) and Universidad de Ibagué (Colombia). This investigation conceives roller derby as a leisure experience where the participants articulate due to their desire to play and has no physical condition, age or biotype requirements. From a qualitative-descriptive methodology with a virtual ethnography approach, the study performs a following of the Facebook pages of three representative roller derby teams from three cities (Bogotá, Ciudad Juárez and Ibagué). As part of the first results, the study makes evident how the practice of this sport breaks the stereotype of the weak, caretaker and dependent woman. Besides, it also makes evident the players persistence for keeping the sport alive for more than ten years