Implications of the identity position for dual career construction: Gendering the pathways to (Dis)continuation

To examine how gender functions in the narrative construction of dual career styles, and these styles impact (dis)continuation a pathway. Longitudinal qualitative study. Life story interviews with 18 talented Finnish athletes (10 cis women, 8 men) at four points time – when they averaged 16, 17, 19, 20 years age followed by an integrative narrative-discursive analysis. (a) contrapuntal style was gender-typically female; (b) monophonic male; (c) dissonant important pathway to discontinuation through which ideologies impacted emergent adults differential outcomes. Although all adolescent aspired construct into adulthood, less than half (7 18) sustained on after graduation from upper secondary school. The life course performance master narratives provided gender-specific scripts for identity development. Our findings signpost that discourse practices are organised along binary, may be fortifying assumed normalcy gendered choices instead opening up field possibilities. facilitate cultural change development environments, we urge critical examination socio-cultural constraints athletes' choices.