Assessing the Sociology of Sport on Changing Masculinities and Homophobia

Sport sociology has been intricately tied with the study of masculinities since the early 1990s in the West. The field was first established in exa mining white male athlete’s masculinity, particularly noting its root in homophobia in the f orging of a hegemonic form of masculinity. However, contemporary masculinity scholarship shows a changed relationship between men’s masculinity and hegemonic dominance. Current research examines men’s masculinities in an era of decreased homohysteria, finding teamsport athletes inclusive of homosexuality. This simultaneously permits heterose xual men to live within greatly expanded gender terrains. The challenge for sport s ociologist concerned with masculinities today, is to expand the locus of investigation to t he intersectional demographics of varying races, geographical locations, religious beliefs, a ge and other important demographics.