It’s one of those classic things – the minute you’re interested in something, you start seeing it everywhere.
Channel 4 in the UK aired a program about little kids participating in rodeos called, “Unreported World: America’s Cowboy Kids“. Training the next generation of cowboys and cowgirls… And keeping the “Western” way of life in the family. It reminds me a bit of children’s beauty pageants – except a lot more dangerous. I wonder who this is for, the parents or the kids? The potential prize money can’t hurt either. Another interesting economic aspect is the commercialization of non-human animals – breeding bigger, stronger bulls is big business and has the potential to change the sport in the coming years. Takeaway #rodeomasculinities message: “Don’t cry in the arena.”
BBC Radio 4’s program, “The Forgotten Black Cowboys,” explores issues of white-washing Western heritage and legacy and highlights the contributions and participation of ethnic minorities in rodeo. It appears to be a case where fiction has informed mainstream imaginings of this culture rather than fact. Hollywood once again has a lot to account for in terms of misrepresenting multiculturalism.
What a fantastic research trip to the Rodeo! I’m still sorting through data, reflecting, coding, analyzing, etc. etc. So, watch this space… However, if you’re interested, here’s a link to some of the photos that make up my visual ethnography:
My friend and research partner, Dr Kate Sang, introduced me to post-humanism and the writings of Braidotti. It’s been one of those things where I knew nothing about it, and then once I did, it started turning up everywhere. My colleague, Dr Paula Danby, is also interested in post-humanism for her work on equine tourism, and we’ve had some interesting chats about rodeo and non-human animals. Although my initial conceptualization of this research didn’t include a focus on non-human animals, I’ve become very interested in this dimension and also think it could inform a wider piece of research in the future.
In terms of rodeo, non-human animals feature in mainly three roles: 1) show (stockshow), 2) performance (sport events), 3) work. It will be interesting to see the treatment of these animals and the ways humans interact with them/the relationships between the species. In other words, the social construction of masculinities in relation to the non-human animals.
For example, in the performance side of the event, masculinity seems to be linked to the size and type of non-human animal. For example, bull riding is seen as the top echelon of ‘macho’ performance given the size and fierceness of the animal. Mutton busting is for children and could be seen as a training ground.
The mastery of the human over the non-human animal is the key. Masculinity is tied up with the skill in controlling the non-human animal, as it was crucial for ranch work and survival on the range. In this way, interactions with non-human animals are exemplary of a particular way of life and reflection of self identity.
“A cowboy is a man with guts and a horse”
The mythic idea of the cowboy and his horse is also at the core of ‘cowboy culture’. They are viewed as a team. This brings up interesting post-humanism dimensions of human and non-human animals having to think and work together to survive. The horse was often the main companion of the cowboy on the range, and there was a reliance on each other. The attitudes and behaviours of cowboys towards their horses is worth further exploration… A few questions arise:
– What benefit does the non-human animal get out of rodeo? Or, is it about serving humans?
– Is the non-human animal a ‘tool’ for the human? Is it a symbiotic relationship or one of human dominance?
– Are these relationships gendered? Do men treat non-human animals differently than women at rodeos?
Men and horses bring up different images than women and horses in this context. Paula reckons women are more maternal and caring towards horses, viewing them more for kinship, while men treat them as ‘tools’ for their own glory and prestige. This can be understood socio-culturally as well as financially. She suggests that horses in sporting events such as rodeo may be seen as a means to an end for men, a reflection on their sense of selves and status, especially when prize money is at stake. This is a fascinating dimension of gender, identity, image, and commercialization tied up with non-human animals. It is something I want to explore further.
In terms of gender and non-human animal treatment, I chatted with my stepsister, Ryan, who works with horses, about rodeo. She reckons rodeo is male-driven and stereotypically alpha man ‘macho’, so it is a very different environment and treatment of horses than other equine sports, such as show jumping. In show jumping, there is more gender balance with riders and often more women often compete than men. Paula also suggests that previously a lot of equine events at professional levels were more male dominated; however, this is now becoming more gender balanced, as equestrianism is the one of the only sports (if not only sports) that men and women actually compete against each other equally. Indeed, Dr Kate Dashper has also published on equine sport and dressage in terms of gender and culture.
Animal rights controversies
There have been protests and controversies by animal rights activists surrounding rodeo. The main controversy is with the bucking broncos, where a flank strap is tightly tied around the horse’s lower belly to cause bucking.
Ryan reckons that there are oversights on this, as it is a regulated sport which takes place in public during a competition. She also notes these performing horses have lighter work schedules than other working horses.
Non-equine events at rodeo, such as calf roping, also draws criticism.
Ryan also stresses there is oversight for these events, as most policing happens within the sport itself. She also mentions that it is a spectator sport, so the audiences would not stand for cruelty in this public arena. Event managers and owners are sensitive to spectators’ feelings about animal welfare and more likely to address it. She suggests being spectator-driven contributes to oversight and fewer problems. The marketing materials for many rodeos stress this animal welfare message as well.
Overall, post-humanism represents a change in thinking of humans as more important and dominant over non-human animals. It will be interesting to see if rodeo has caught up with this.
While focusing on the logistics for data collection, I’ve been doing some preliminary research on my case study, the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo. Some initial thoughts:
Sponsors: Some Austin-based business as well as national and international companies. The main sponsors appear to be Ram and Coors. These are brands based on macho images of a nostalgic American (rural) West. They are based on traditional masculinity with idealised (so-called) American values of a hard work ethic and rugged individualism. The context is not urban here – it is pioneering and rustic. Consequently, the portrayal of masculinity is almost cartoonish in its simplicity and transparency. Check out some of their ads:
Music: Mainly white men and mainstream Country/Western. Rodeo Austin did tweet that it’s not all Country music since they also have Boyz II Men. Yes, you read that correctly. I remember them being popular when I was in high school. I can’t think of African-American performers less ‘threatening’ to white audiences than these guys. They are the classic boy band, like Backstreet Boys or ‘N Sync, who also happen to be African-American. Their music, I would argue, does not represent their ethnicity. However, I do suppose the tweet was factual, as they are not Country.
Education: There is an emphasis on scholarships. This seems to be in keeping with other rodeos as well. Pageants also are scholarship enterprises (allegedly). This may aligned with a specific cultural dimension for these kinds of special events, which aim to support local communities. The gender balance of recipients seems appropriate, and there are also a handful of ethnic minorities as well. I would imagine they are pretty attuned to equality agendas with this.
“Where Weird Meets Western”: This is the tagline for the rodeo. It’s essentially tied to Austin place marketing. “Keep Austin Weird” is the branding for the destination. The “Western” aspect is aligned with the event itself. It’s pretty classic image and reputation stuff, appealing to the range of state, national and probably even international tourists. There may be more musical elements, as Austin is known for its vibrant live music scene, but I’m not sure what makes this rodeo ‘weird’ based on the website. So, I’m looking forward to seeing Austin’s twist (if any) on what appears to be a pretty straightforward rodeo.
The first thing I tell my students when they are embarking on research is to make sure they have the who, what, where, how, and why of their project clearly set out. Therefore, I think it’s only proper that I start out my research process this way too.
Who: The research focuses on stakeholders (performers, sponsors, vendors, organisers) and audiences; thus, both producers and consumers of the event.
What: This research explores the role of a heritage and sporting event as a mechanism which reinforces or challenges the reproduction of male-dominated heteronormative narratives in sport participation. Certain dominant groups often define ‘what sport is’ or ‘what sport should be like’ and how it is actually experienced by various groups within various cultural contexts. Perceptions of women and LGBTQ athletes, especially those who participate in violent or traditionally ‘macho’ sport, are socially constructed within culture.
By focusing on the case study of the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo, this research aims to: 1) examine gendered power relations and interactions to understand the effectiveness of masculinities in the legitimation of the gender order in this event landscape; and, 2) critically evaluate commercialised elements such as merchandise, branding materials, and marketing to audiences to discern if the literal selling of this cowboy ideal has an impact on normalising masculine dominance, especially in a family entertainment setting.
How: Post-structuralintersectional approaches. Qualitative research methods include semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and ethnography via participant (as an attendee) observation.
Why: It is suggested that there are gaps in the literature regarding the gendering of event spaces, and this research aims to contribute to the body of knowledge in this area by exploring the constructions and commodification of masculinity in rodeo spaces.
Rodeo Masculinities 