Understanding Minnesota Muslim Girls' Experiences with Current Sports Uniforms and Their Preferences for the Design of Culturally Sensitive Sports Uniforms
[Thesis]
Kira Jewell Erickson
Bye, Elizabeth
University of Minnesota
2017
168
Committee members: Dunne, Lucy E.; Thul, Chelsey
Place of publication: United States, Ann Arbor; ISBN=978-0-355-40386-2
M.S.
Design, Housing and Apparel
University of Minnesota
2017
Current school sports uniforms often do not fit within the cultural and religious ideals that many Muslim girls hold. Muslim females often practice some form of modest dress, fully covering their body and hair, and wearing loosely fitted clothing. Therefore, many Muslim girls either compromise their beliefs to participate in sports at school or do not participate at all. This research focuses on the experiences of Muslim girls living in Minnesota, which has a significant Muslim population. This qualitative mixed methods study aims to understand if Minnesota Muslim girls perceive current sports uniforms as a barrier to participation in school sports, and if so, how we can design more culturally sensitive sport uniforms that would better meet their physical activity needs. A better understanding of Minnesota Muslim girls' experiences with current sports uniforms, as well as their preferences and suggestions for future uniforms, can afford insight and opportunity to challenge clothing as a structural barrier to their participation in school sports. This is especially important for Muslim girls as they face higher rates of social isolation at school (Britto, 2008). By affording these girls the same opportunities to participate in sports as their peers, more inclusive and diverse school communities can be supported and created.
Fashion; Design; Womens studies
Communication and the arts;Social sciences;Apparel design;Culturally sensitive sports uniform;Muslim girls;Sport;Sports uniform;Sports uniform design