Experiences of Modesty in Sportswear in Türkiye: A Feminist Perspective on Women's Experiences with Physical Activity

This study aims to examine the physical activity experiences of women who adopt a closed clothing style and study at the Faculty of Sport Sciences in Türkiye, a Muslim country with a secular state, from the perspective of Islamic feminism. Using a phenomenological research methodology, individual interviews were conducted with eight women studying at the Faculty of Sport Sciences of a Turkish university. Additionally, sentiment analysis using NRC Emotion Lexicon and VADER tools revealed key emotions such as anger, anticipation, joy and sadness, along with positive, negative and subjectivity scores. These findings highlight the emotional intensity and personal perspectives of the challenges faced by hijab-wearing women in sports. The findings from traditional content analysis show that hijab-wearing women face significant challenges related to clothing, social pressures, religious stereotypes and sports marketing. These challenges emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach in sportswear marketing to address the lack of variety, quality and affordability in hijab clothing. The study suggests that sportswear brands should offer more comfortable and accessible options for hijab-wearing women and stresses the importance of addressing these issues to ensure that these women can fully participate in sports free from social and marketing constraints.