The Body Triad, Whiteness and Agency: The Not-So-Sporty Experiences of Punjabi-Canadian Women

This thesis explored the physical activity (PA) experiences of 18 Punjabi-Canadian women living in the Greater Toronto Area. It argues that the choice not to participate in PA is an act of agency reflective of the pressures placed on the women. The theoretical frameworks used were the centrality of women’s bodies in social and cultural reproduction, whiteness and critical race theory. The methods used were focus groups coined “chai and chats.” Results revealed that the “Body Triad,” a term I coin, consisting of the “Fat Body,” “Skinny Body” and “Muscular Body” and the dominance of whiteness in Canada impacted the women’s decision to not participate in PA. As a result, the women negotiated these pressures by talking back, “feeling blessed” and challenging existing gendered and racial assumptions about their bodies. This study showed the relationship between gender, immigration and whiteness where Punjabi-Canadian women’s bodies were central to the discussion.M.Sc