Scaling boundaries : women, mountaineering, and the historical ambivalence of the female body

Šuligoj, Julija (author)

The female body has been idealized, objectified, and burdened with contradictions throughout history. From ancient depictions to contemporary sports culture, it stands at the intersection of social norms and individual power. This paper explores the ambivalence toward the female body through the perspectives of medicine, art, and sports with an emphasis on mountaineering, highlighting how women, despite their achievements, faced and still face persistent scrutiny and bias. It focuses on the historical construction of the body, fashion’s role, and how physical activity shaped perceptions of femininity. The analysis shows how enduring stereotypes influence women’s participation in public life and sports to this day.

• Language: English
• Keywords: female body, gender norms, objectification, sport, mountaineering, body history, feminism, bodily ambivalence
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: str. 129-153
• Numbering: 8, 2/3
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-180598
• UDC: 305-055.2:796.52
• ISSN on article: 2630-3426
• DOI: 10.64651/8-2-6
• COBISS.SI-ID: 268639747
• Publication date in RUL: 19.03.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Retrospektive : znanstvena revija za zgodovinopisje in sorodna področja
• Publisher: Združenje za promocijo kulturne dediščine, raziskav in novih tehnologij- Retrospektive
• ISSN: 2630-3426
• COBISS.SI-ID: 297275392

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Premikanje mej

Abstract

Skozi vso zgodovino je bilo žensko telo idealizirano, objektificirano in obeleženo s protislovji. Od anticnih predstav do današnje športne kulture se žensko telo nahaja na presecišcu med družbenimi normami in individualno avtonomijo. Clanek raziskuje ambivalentnost odnosa do ženskega telesa z vidika medicine, umetnosti in športa, pri cemer se osredotoca na gorništvo, kjer so ženske bile, in so še vedno, kljub njihovim številnim dosežkom pogosto soocene z dvomi in predsodki o njihovih zmožnostih. Posebna pozornost je namenjena zgodovinski konstituciji telesa, vlogi mode ter vplivu športne dejavnosti na pojmovanje ženskosti. Analiza razkriva, kako stereotipi o ženskem telesu še danes vplivajo na vkljucevanje žensk v javno življenje in šport.

• Keywords: žensko telo, družbene norme spola, objektifikacija, šport, gorništvo, zgodovina telesa, feminizem, telesna ambivalenca