Sports Sociology

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the issues of masculinity and femininity in sport. The paper contends that in order to understand the equation of sports and masculinity, one should initially examine sports and femininity. The paper explains that those sports that are labeled feminine and would detract from rather than support a man's masculinity are those (at least in western cultures) that allow the participant to conform to the stereotypes of femininity. The function of sport in society is examined in the paper.
Outline
Introduction
Considering the Masculine and the Feminine Principles
Societal Function of Sport
Boys Will Be Boys, If They Find Out How
The Most Powerful Form of Masculinity
Anecdotal Evidence
Not Playing, but Winning, Equals Masculinity
Sports Dominance Equals Dominance, Period
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"French, German, Spanish and a number of other languages ascribe gender-masculinity and femininity-to every noun in the language. Sometimes the reasoning is not accessible: Why should a German ornament--denoted by the word Schmuck--be masculine, for instance? And why should Schrift (writing) be feminine? While these are imponderables, understanding the masculine qualities of sports is less difficult. Indeed, understanding that, in modern society, sports are equated with masculinity is not difficult at all. Despite the labeling of various activities as masculine and feminine, sports "have generally been labeled as masculine, although some sports are considered to be feminine" (Koivula 2001 377+). Koivula believes that sport is a representation of the cultural milieu in which it occurs and that sports both reflect and reproduce the attitudes, beliefs, rituals and values of the society. "It is therefore argued that sport has been, and continues to be, a site for the construction, reconstruction, strengthening, and naturalization of perceived gender differences" (Koivula 2001 377+), and notably, it contributes to the ways in which each gender is valued by society."

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