Body hair and booty calls

Conceptualising ‘empowered-ness’ in travel and tourism for solo female vanlifers

Bibliographic Data

ID11235802
AuthorsCatheryn Khoo‐lattimore (0000-0003-2858-870X, Torrens University Australia), Catheryn Khoo, Prachi Thakur (0000-0002-0326-6619, Sunway University), Mona Ji Hyun Yang (0000-0002-4049-7344, Griffith University), Jessica Mei Pung (0000-0001-7812-2508, University of South Australia, corresponding author), Amanda Ting (0000-0003-0049-3100, Torrens University Australia)
Year2025
Volume111
Pages103905
Publication date2025-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAnnals of Tourism Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0160-7383 • E-ISSN: 1873-7722
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.annals.2025.103905
OpenAlexW4407067101
LanguageEN
Citations received15
References cited48

The present study focuses on advancing the current discourse from women empowerment to ‘empowered-ness’ by conceptualising solo female vanlifers' bodies from travel reflections as a medium to redefine boundaries for socio-cultural norms. This study adopted a multi-faceted approach integrating social-networking-platform and ethnographic data to examine empowered-ness for women in prolonged mobility, and the role of empowered women's bodies in travel. 421 statements from 285 solo female vanlifers were collected through social-networking-platforms, and supplemented with synchronous longitudinal ethnographic data journalling solo female vanlife. The findings demonstrate that female empowered-ness through vanlife mobility manifests through independence from men, unconventional relationships, and risk-taking behaviour. This conceptual shift from empowerment to an ‘empowered’ framework is a contribution to solo female travel literature. • Focuses on how female vanlifers challenge power structures through agency. • Building a van serves as a transformative journey, fostering independence and pride. • Vanlife empowers women to explore sexual desires and invert roles. • Female vanlifers negotiate norms by enjoying leisure without societal expectations. • The van complicates embodiment and emphasises autonomy in navigating travel

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