“Wanna hear my voice, look at my feet!” How Female Sneaker Aficionadas Negotiate their Femininities and Identities Within a Male-centric Subculture.

This dissertation is a feminist inquiry into sneaker culture, using the qualitative method of ethnography to study a community of female sneaker collectors. These women exist in a predominantly male-centric subculture which entails buying, collecting and trading pairs of sneakers. The women or ‘aficionadas’ that exist in this subculture are often excluded, and often their participation and presence is rendered invisible. They constantly defend their identity, femininity and place in the subculture from negative stereotypes. They are denied the authenticity of being a true connoisseur, as well as their aficionada status. However, aficionadas manage to resist their invisibility as well as the assumptions made against them by enacting their agency and negotiating their femininity and identity, through a bricolage of masculinity and femininity. Sneakers rose to significance during the explosive and expressive Hip-hop movement in New York City during the late 1970s. It was a movement that promoted creative self-expression and influenced everything in its way such as dancing, music, sport and even fashion. Within these predominantly male spaces, male performances and exhibitions of masculinity were fostered. Moreover, the sneaker emerged as an object with significant importance to the wearer. As well as enhancing movement and performance of the wearer, it was also used as a signifier for street style. Its rising popularity amongst African American and Latino American youth transformed its intended use, from an object primarily used for function, to one used solely for fashion. The subculture that rose from the obsession was largely male as a large number of male experiences became connected to the lifestyle of sneaker culture. A gender division exists in sneaker culture that privileges the voice and experience of self-appointed male aficionados over female aficionadas. However, the aficionada community I interviewed aim to change this through their bricolaged identity as played out through their consumption and identities.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

other

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

masters

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of East Anglia

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Lindsay-Prince, Lemara

Language dc:language

en