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Abstract
African women’s place in sport and society is constantly debated. Sport provides a platform and the space to disrupt dominant binaries associated with gender ideologies in the sporting environment and social landscape. With the increase in women and girls’ participation in sport, there is a need to explore and document the lived experiences of female athletes who deviate from actualizing social norms while crossing the boundaries of dominant femininity and challenging African women’s role in the community. There is a paucity of literature based on African women in power sports. The intent of this study was to examine the experiences of Uganda women’s rugby players for the purposes of understanding how they reconstructed their identity within social, political, economic, and cultural spheres. Thus, this study aimed to understand the socio-cultural construction of gender in post-colonial Uganda using the lived experiences and personal stories of women rugby players and how they navigate their multiplicity of identities. The African feminist and identity theoretical frameworks guided this dissertation study. The study participants were seventeen women rugby players aged 18 and 45 who were involved in various sports clubs, schools, and educational institutions in Uganda. Data collection involved the utilization of in-depth interviews and data analysis was conducted thematically. The findings of this study: a) dominant social practices, b) social networking, c) gender identity formation, and d) women’s rugby resilience; revealed how Ugandan women rugby players disrupt contemporary gender norms. The significance of this study lies in adding a new dimension to how gender norms can be redefined in the deeply patriarchal society of Uganda. The significance of this study also lies in helping inform educators, activists, policymakers, and sport administrators’ decisions about developing sport opportunities for women in Uganda while remaining cognizant of the multiple identities [intersects] and abilities of female athletes in the country. Implications of the study included the view that sport can provide women with ways to re-imagine gender roles, responsibilities, and identities while providing invaluable life skills. In addition, the study provides a platform for African women’s acceptance in power sports.