Gay men and masculinity in a homohysteric Turkish body building culture

This research provides the first-ever examination into the relationship between being a gay male athlete and body building in Turkey. We use the stage modelling of Inclusive Masculinity Theory in order to interpret the experiences of six gay men with recreational bodybuilding experience in a homohysteric setting. We find that they engage with bodybuilding in order to hyper masculinize their appearance and gain self-confidence in their attraction to other gay men; as well as for protection against violence if they are discovered to be gay. However, they experience psychological dissonance with the practice, as a result of the extreme homophobia of the setting. As a result, the bodybuilding field has multiple, conflicting, meanings for the men we interviewed.