data from the research project

We dig into some of the reasons why women box in the 'Why Boxing?' section of this website. But here is a breakdown of the data showing the range and popularity of the various reasons. 

Boxers could give as many reasons as they wanted over the course of the interviews.

There is great diversity in the reasons expressed. We can see that women come to boxing seeking many things, connection, excitement, health. 

Building a sense of identity is the most often quoted reason, and it's interesting to reflect on what this says about women's struggles today with forming a positive sense of identity.

As with Reasons to Box, interviewees often expressed multiple challenges. 

Many of the reasons overlap, thus sexism may bleed into upkeep of appearance, engagement with social media, and caring responsibilities. The cost of boxing (low pay, especially) affects the pressures of maintaining a day job. Neurodivergence can intersect with mental health. 

This chart demonstrates the way in which different challenges can overlap and increase the overall pressure felt by female boxers.