A qualitative assessment of the significance of body perception to women'sphysical activity experiences: Revisiting discussions of physicalities

This paper builds upon an earlier exploratory discussion about the term phy sicality that called for conceptual clarity regarding our theoretical under standing and use of it within the context of women's lives. In light of fie ldwork conducted, physicality is suggested to be the complex interplay of b ody perception, agency, and self-perception. This article focuses on examin ing one feature of this construct by assessing the relevance of body percep tion to two groups of women's experiences of their physicalities through tw o differently gendered activities: aerobics and wilderness canoe-tripping. Pivotal to this has been qualitatively understanding the lived-body as expe rienced and understood by the women. In-depth interviews and participant ob servation were used to explore the meaning and significance these women der ived from experiencing their bodies/themselves through these activities. Of specific interest was understanding the effects of these experiences in te rms of shaping their understandings of their physicalities particularly bey ond that of appearance. Central to this has been apprehending the physicall y and socially empowering effects of these experiences, especially at the l evel of their identity. Through the data analysis, body perception was foun d to be relevant to the women's physical activity involvement in two distin ct ways: as a factor initiating activity involvement and as a perception em erging through the experience. In turn, these differing perceptions of the body were found to impact diversely upon their physicalities, either broade ning them or contributing to alternative ways of understanding them.