Motherhood and parenting was built directly into the PWHL's collective bargaining agreement, but the narrative surrounding queer and heterosexual motherhood in professional sport continues to be written. In the opening seasons of the PWHL, fans have connected with the family content of moms in the PWHL including Natalie Spooner, Emerance Maschmeyer, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Madison Packer, Brianne Jenner, and Melodie Daoust, among others.

A recent study examining the narratives surrounding queer and heterosexual hockey playing mothers, looked at how these biological and non-biological parents portrayed their identities online.

The study, titled "Negotiating digital identities: Small story narrative analysis of queer and heterosexual elite hockey playing mothers’ self-portrayals on Instagram" was conducted by researchers from the University of British Columbia, Laurentian University, and the University of Guelph.

They followed four past and present players - Natalie Spooner, Melodie Daoust, Brianne Jenner, and Meaghan Mikkelson.

Different Identities Emerge

By studying how each mother portrayed her life as a parent, partner, and athlete online, researchers found two dominant identities emerged. One, the 'mumtrepeneur', "aligned with gender scholars’ conception of working mothers’ (re)configuring work/business in ways that integrate a caring mother role and career."

The other, a 'generative' identity, shows these mothers "in ways that focus on growth and the well-being of future generations in ‘communal’ domains of parenting, mentoring, and pro-social behaviours" such as volunteering, and their actions in "highlighting the storyteller’s contributions to others."

Combatting Masculine, Heteronormative Ideals

The mothers studied were seen by researchers as actively resisting ideas of "hockey as a masculine space and ‘queer motherhood’ by de-essentializing motherhood ideals that keep children and work in separate spheres to maintain ‘moral motherhood’ whereby women care for children only in spaces deemed acceptable."

Stories of children attending hockey games, or being in the locker room with teams were part of that message, "incorporating children as a valued presence in hockey spaces so that sportswomen can maintain hockey careers...within the limits of ‘good motherhood’ ideals."

In many cases, women are still portrayed as the primary caregiver, including in hockey. Other narratives, however, also emerged including the more co-operative caregiving approach.

This co-operative approach was seen via "non-biological mothers" in queer relationships "shifting dominant notions of who can ‘mother’ and where that takes place."

Co-operative or community caregiving was also observed as supporting the career goals of mothers in hockey through a "feminist community of care," highlighted by collective parenting where biological mothers are no longer the only caregivers. Rather, in the hockey world, it was observed that partners, teammates, and even team staff can take roles in extending caregiving to others "in an ethic of care narrative that values women’s roles in sporting spaces, to enable athletes’ sport participation."

Overall, the study challenged notions of one mother being required to balance career and family responsibilities, and instead highlighted women's hockey's co-operative and kinship approach as mother's balance being professional athletes "in the face of less structural support."

Marketable Mothers

Another aspect of the study looked at how mothers who portray personal aspects of their lives, particularly leisure moments with their children, are shaping their "mumtrepeneur" identity showcasing a marketable lifestyle. 

Scholars, however, are critical of "these portrayals as reinforcing heteronormative and intensive motherhood narratives," but acknowledge "they also make co-mothering and a loving queer family visible."

While posts highlighting family "bliss" were part of this marketability, the other side was what reserchers labeled stories of "grit and grace" showcasing hockey mothers as serious athletes while portraying traditional "feminine qualities." 

While there were problems noted with this balance as it related to inequitable portrayals of women and expectations placed on women, researches stated that "Grit and grace small stories afford heterosexual and queer non-biological athlete mothers’ access to power through marketing ‘good motherhood’ with athleticism through acceptable forms of femininity as part of an ‘mumtrepeneur’ identity."

The PWHL's Place In This Story

Mikkelson did not play in the PWHL, but was part of the PWHPA leading up to the foundation of the league before beginning a career as an NHL broadcaster. Daoust spent her first season in the PWHL as a reserve, and wanted to play in the league, but the pay structure and inability to choose her team caused Daoust to retire following the first season.

Jenner and Spooner however, continued their playing careers. Spooner was granted a "compassionate circumstances" exemption and was allowed to stay in Toronto to be near her son and family. The same occurred for Madison Packer in New York with her children. 

In the PWHL's founding collective bargaining agreement, parental supports were present. The league guaranteed protection from job loss due to pregnancy, parental leave, or maternity leave, had allowances for nursing and dependent care, and also set out a "parental leave" component providing eight weeks of pay at 100%.

Some players, but not all, were also provided with child care by the league for young children, a point not covered in the CBA.

What the PWHL does not explicitly provide to all players, is methods ensuring "the crucial role of supporting hockey mothers and presence of children in hockey spaces beyond year one." 

This study highlighted the co-operative and communal supports from teammates and partners in this process.

Overall, the research added to the current understanding of the expectations placed on women in hockey, particularly as it related to queer and heterosexual mothers and parents.

Read The Full Study Here

Negotiating digital identities: Small story narrative analysis of queer and heterosexual elite hockey playing mothers’ self-portrayals on Instagram This study builds on qualitative research on elite athlete mothers and media research centring queer and heterosexual athlete mothers in elite sport. …