Call for Papers for 2024 Special Topics/Issues:【Twice-exceptional Students】&【Special Education in Higher Education】!
Vol.48 No.3, (1) Using sport labeling to construct true inclusion in marriage and family: Exploring the process of overcoming superficial inclusion for two fathers with sensory disabilities—Yi-Teng Hsu, Han-Lin Yeh, I-Tsun Chiang (p1-29) Back


Rationale & Purpose:The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities states that eliminating discrimination against persons with disabilities in all matters relating to marriage, family, parenthood, and relationships is crucial to ensuring meaningful inclusion. The rights of people with disabilities are being re-emphasized with the aim of further ensuring the meaningful inclusion of such individuals; social exclusion can originate from stigma, which people with disabilities often face. In many cultures, deeply ingrained stereotypes and prejudices prevail, and people with disabilities are a particularly stigmatized group. People with disabilities are often viewed through a lens of bias and discrimination. Consequently, the term “disability” is frequently considered to have a negative connotation and often denotes societal vulnerability, the need for assistance, difficulty living independently, and perceived inability to adapt to social norms. Additionally, hegemonic masculinity fosters the suppression and exclusion of nontraditional masculine behaviors and traits, constraining men’s freedom of expression and personal development. From a disability studies perspective, a rigid gender norm can further marginalize and oppress men with disabilities, meaning that such individuals must field questions about their abilities and worth; doing so negatively affects their physical and mental well-being and their social participation. Researchers have found that successful involvement in sport or in marital and family life are sufficient to adjust the negative labels of individuals with disabilities and enhance their self-identity. Sport and marriage have become two of the pathways through which true social inclusion is promoted for individuals with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to explore the process of label adjustment and construction for male individuals with disabilities in relation to sports involvement and marital experiences. Methods: To gain an in-depth understanding of label adjustment and meaningful inclusion, this study adopted a grounded theory approach and collected data from multiple sources to explore the growth experiences and family situations of two fathers with sensory disabilities. In-depth interviews were conducted with the two participants, one had visual disabilities, and the other had hearing disabilities, and in the analysis of their narratives, the relevant literature was consulted to ensure comprehensiveness. Both participants were married and had two children, who lived with them in their households. The study was conducted in two phases. The first phase involved the collection, analysis, and organization of data. First, public multimedia data were collected. The participants had high public visibility, and this study collected and analyzed data from publicly available Facebook posts, interviews from seven broadcast episodes in a radio program, and 11 YouTube videos posted in the preceding 3 years. Second, participant observation data were collected. The participants were observed during their voluntary involvement in competitive events, such as Ironman triathlons and swimming competitions; in total, the participants participated in 13 events, each spanning approximately 3 days. Approximately 660 hours of observation data were accumulated. Additionally, five public speeches and six training sessions were observed in person, yielding approximately 40 hours of additional observation data on the participants and their spouses. The total observation time was approximately 700 hours. Third, totaling approximately 8,000 words research notes which were done by the research team initiated a 10-month period of observation and reflection after obtaining ethical approval. In the second phase, we conducted in-depth interviews. The process of the in-depth interviews was as follows. Each father and their spouse were interviewed three times; a semi-structured interview outline was employed as a reference and adjusted in accordance with the context. During the COVID-19 pandemic, online interviews were conducted. Each interview lasted approximately 1.5 hours. In total, the interview time for all sessions amounted to approximately 10 hours, and the transcribed text totaled approximately 40,000 words. Given the interconnected nature of marriage, family life, and the social environment, this study focused on the growth context and family life of the two participants as a core foundation and then extended the exploration of their social integration and label adaptation through the interviews. Results: The fathers understood the obstacles they faced, promoted their self-identity, and actively planned their lives by using positive labels, such as sports participation despite with barriers and environmental challenges. This study initially identified three primary experiences through which the participants were able to transcend their disability labels: (1) despite a superficial inclusion school environment, sports participation leading to a transformation of self-identity and self-realization; (2) initiating genuine inclusion opportunities with a sportsmanship spirit—progressing toward marriage and public service; and (3) cultivating advantageous abilities within the context of marriage on the basis of different disability attributes. According to the results, a model entitled the “Theory of the Superficial Inclusion Sandbar” was constructed. Four core categories—The River toward Inclusion (pathway), the Wind of Promoting Inclusion (catalyst), the Superficial Inclusion Lagoon (threats and regulation), and the Superficial Inclusion Sandbar (barriers)—were organized to elucidate the experiences of the participants throughout their life journey. We found that the participants experienced the following processes within the context of this Superficial Inclusion Sandbar theory: (1) they knew and understood that the Superficial Inclusion Sandbar had both advantages and disadvantages; (2) they navigated the societal integration gateway through their participation in sports; and (3) they ultimately reached the same state of genuine inclusion despite the fact that their paths toward the ocean of genuine inclusion began differently. Conclusions & Implications: (1) positive labels derived from sports contribute to the true inclusion of individuals with disabilities; (2) such individuals are aware of the advantages and disadvantages of the Superficial Inclusion Sandbar; and (3) individuals with disabilities can own the portrayal of true inclusion in the context of marriage and family within the ocean of inclusion. This study has several limitations, as follows: (1) the participants had similar characteristics (gender, age, disability, and time of disability onset); (2) the issue of “boundary work” for male individuals with disabilities who are perceived as “failures” by external standards was not addressed; and (3) the data sources were limited. Beginning from the River Toward Social Inclusion, the adjustment of self-identity regarding disabilities through positive labels, such as sports participation, should be based on a values and recognition system centered on individuals with disabilities rather than based on mainstream societal values. This study—the research domains of which were the workplace, sports, marriage, and family—found that career advancement, outstanding performance in sports, maintaining healthy relationships in the marriage and family, and successful parenting experiences can all establish a genuine sense of accomplishment for men with disabilities and construct their self-efficacy, eliminating obstacles that resemble Superficial Inclusion Sandbar—such as low societal expectations, low societal approval, limited understanding of human rights implications, and being tolerated and overlooked—and strengthening the benefits of positive labels obtained through sports participation. This study recommends the extension of research into nonmainstream family structures, strengthening of positive labels and factors contributing to true inclusion, establishment of models, and encouragement of the coexistence of different family patterns in society, with the aim of courageously creating diverse values.


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