Concluding Thoughts: What’s Next?

It is clear that gender distinctions are evident in almost every aspect of figure skating. The gender distinctions that are so deeply ingrained in figure skating are not only visible to the public as spectators of the sport, but these distinctions fundamentally limit skaters’ biopower. Limiting an athlete’s biopower takes away personal autonomy and agency and thus can cause serious health repercussions. Athletes who do not conform to these expectations can expect limited upward mobility in the sport, and in some cases can experience complete exile from the sport. These limitations are exacerbated by the social construct of gender societally, and skaters are expected to abide by these societal gender standards in order to advance in their sport.

The question is, if gender distinctions were to be erased, would figure skating as a sport be fundamentally different? If so, would that make figure skating less appealing to spectators and athletes? Or would it open more doors and make figure skating more inclusive. Most likely, these gender distinctions will not be eliminated in the near future, as the ISU and other governing bodies have spent decades trying to change public perceptions and create a societally ideal image for figure skating.  Although it isn’t very realistic to see all gender distinctions to be eliminated, I think an important and necessary step is to lessen expectations of what figure skaters’ bodies should look like.