LEARNING PROCESSES OF NEGOTIATING GENDER DISCOURSE IN THAI SOCIETY TO ENHANCE SELF-ESTEEM AMONG WOMEN POLE DANCERS

Abstract

This research article aimed to: 1) investigate the social experiences and gender discourse that influence the self-esteem of female pole dancers, and 2) analyze the learning processes employed by female pole dancers to negotiate gender discourse. This study adopted mixed-methods research design. The participants were female pole dance practitioners in Bangkok, Thailand. The research instruments consisted of: 1) a questionnaire on social experiences and gender discourse, and 2) an in-depth interview protocol exploring the learning processes used to negotiate gender discourse. Questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Data obtained from the in-depth interviews were analyzed using inductive data analysis.

The findings revealed that: 1) gender discourse affected pole dancers across all ecological systems. The greatest impact was exerted through the exosystem, particularly via social media, extended family, and policies and legislation, followed by the mesosystem and the microsystem, which included family, close friends, and schools/workplaces. (2) Pole dancers employed different learning processes to negotiate gender discourse depending on their relationships with the ecological systems. Four negotiation strategies were identified: (a) choosing not to react to the discourses encountered, (b) using the mechanisms of social media to manage the discourses, (c) providing verbal explanations, and (d) employing legal processes. These strategies were developed through learning from personal experience and examples encountered on social media. The participants' primary learning resources included themselves, social networks within the pole dance community, and social media.