Sport, Masculinities and Sexualities

Sport, Masculinities and Sexualities examines the impact of decreasing cultural homophobia on both gay and straight male athletes. It suggests that the study of sport, masculinities and sexualities emerged during a time of extreme homophobia? the 1980. Cultural homophobia declined, however, throughout the 1990s and the first decade of the new millennia. Consequently, this research argues that the way young men view homosexuality and masculinity has also changed, resulting not only in improved conditions for sexual minorities in sport, but it has also promoted a culture of softer, more tactile and emotional forms of heterosexual masculinities. The ten studies presented in this book reflect this shift in masculinities; highlighting the necessity of developing new ways of theorizing the changing dynamics between masculinities, sexualities and physical cultures in the next decade.

This book is based on the original special issue published in the Journal of Homosexuality.

1. Masculinities and Sexualities in Sport and Physical Cultures: Three Decades of Evolving Research 2. "Josh Wears Pink Cleats": Inclusive Masculinity on the Soccer Field 3. Sport Fans’ Impressions of Gay Male Athletes 4. Clubbing Masculinities: Gender Shifts in Gay Men’s Dance Floor Choreographies 5. Men at Sport: Gay Men’s Experiences in the Sport Workplace 6. "Aren’t We All a Little Bisexual?": The Recognition of Bisexuality in an Unlikely Place 7. The Benefits of Sexual Orientation Diversity in Sport Organizations 8. Mapping the Terrain of Homosexually-Themed Language 9. Homophobic and Sexist yet Uncontested: Examining Football Fan Postings on Internet Message Boards 10. An investigation of ethnicity as a variable related to US male college athletes’ sexual-orientation behaviours and attitudes 11. Male Team Sport Hazing Initiations in a Culture of Decreasing Homohysteria

Professor Eric Anderson is a sociologist at the University of Winchester, UK. His research shows an increasingly positive relationship between gay athletes and sport, as well as a growing movement of heterosexual masculinities becoming softer and more inclusive. Professor Anderson has published ten books, including Sport, Theory and Social Problems and Inclusive Masculinity, both with Routledge.