ABSTRACT
This text analyzes the perception of female boxers about the bodily transformations occurred in them due to their dedication to the competitive sport. Based on the theoretical and methodological contribution of Oral History, seven athletes registered in the Gaúcho Boxing Federation (Federação Gaúcha de Pugilismo) who participated in national and state competitions in the year 2015 and two coaches with experience in the sport were interviewed. These interviews were compared with other sources, such as news reports, atlases and institutional documents. From this study three themes emerged: the appearance of the bodies of the female boxers and their relationship with aspects related to gender and sexuality; comparative aspects between the practice of boxing with competitive ends and boxing in gyms; strategies used by the female boxers to legitimize their presence in the sport. From their narratives it was possible to identify that the boxers negotiate representations of femininity when adjusting their training in order to maintain a good performance without presenting an excessive muscular growth. Such perception comes from the concern to adapt their bodies to socially valued aesthetic standards, demonstrating how much gender, far from being a biological data, is something that must constantly be reiterated.
Keywords:
Boxing; Gender; Body; Sexuality