Mapping race, class and gender: Experiences from black Norwegian athletes

In this article, we explore the influence of the intersection of race, gender, and class as systems of power and oppression (Collins, 2000) in the experiences of female and male black Norwegian athletes. Data are drawn from a larger doctoral study in which in-depth interviews were held with nine female and eight male black Norwegian athletes aged between 16 and 29 years. The data are further analysed using a black feminist intersectional approach to highlight the dynamic aspects of the interconnection between race, gender, and class in the experiences of black Norwegian athletes. Intersectionality is also used to interrogate whiteness (Norwegianness or Norskhet), which is mainly regarded as the norm. The findings demonstrate how black Norwegian female and male athletes are exposed to different privileges and challenges given their racial, gender, and class positions.