A media perspective at the sport practiced by women in the Canary Islands during the Civil War and the first Franco regime (1936-1959)

Abstract

The sport practised by women, with a scarce (and limited) number, suffered a stagnation during the Civil War and the first Franco regime in the Canary Islands.

Although education and social changes had meant an emancipation of women’s domestic work and a greater role in the different areas of the social sphere, with the arrival of the war a gray stage began for the sport practiced by women. The research provides a bibliographic and newspaper review of the press of the time. Specifically, the social history of sport is addressed, to focus a position according to the context. This work compiles and analyzes the articles published on women and sport in the Canary Islands newspapers between the years 1936 and 1959. We are interested in studying this period since it is when physical education becomes compulsory for women of a certain age.

Results shows that sport was a tool of political control during the period studied, to instil in women the Catholic national feminine ideal and transform their moral, social and aesthetic activities, proposing an involution in the sport lived up to now.

In addition, this investigation reveals the veto of some sports against the obligation to practice physical education, always under the control of the Women’s Section.

Likewise, the social history of sport is addressed, in order to center a position in accordance with the context and the informative treatment of the media of the moment in relation to the practice of sports by women.