Getting and staying healthy through exercise is part of many people’s daily routines. And what people wear when they work out has become a big business. But not all women— particularly female athletes—feel comfortable in their sportswear, which can negatively affect their performance. Now a survey being conducted by the sportswear company SPRHRA (Superhera), with the help of Professor of Anthropology Katie Rose Hejtmanek and Cara Ocobock, a biological anthropologist at the University of Notre Dame, aims to improve sportswear to help athletes reach peak performance. Hejtmanek and Ocobock will analyze the survey data to help SPRHRA produce clothing that fits and feels better. The pair have collaborated on various projects in the past, including a COVID-19 gym closures and well-being project, and the book Gender and Power in Strength Sports, which was the subject of a conference at Notre Dame in October 2021. Hejtmanek has been teaching at Brooklyn College since 2010 and is a cultural anthropologist who studies cultures and processes of self-transformation, such as female empowerment through strength sports and salvation through fitness regimens. She is also the faculty athletics representative at the college and is a world and national champion in masters weightlifting. With Brooklyn College being home to several women’s athletics teams, Hejtmanek is encouraging those athletes to take the survey and make their voices heard.
