Five-year cohort study of White-British male student-athletes’ attitudes toward gay men

ABSTRACT

While sport has traditionally been a hostile environment for gay men, attitudes toward homosexuality among youth in the West have changed significantly in recent years. This research uses Herek’s Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale, Revised Version (ATLG-R) scale to investigate attitudes toward homosexuality among 243 undergraduate male students in the UK. Results revealed no significant differences in student attitudes toward gay men in the first two years, but significantly more positive attitudes onward from the third. Overall, incoming attitudinal dispositions of homophobia among young male student-athletes were minimal. Anderson’s Inclusive Masculinity Theory (IMT) is used to explain these findings, with the results supporting existing literature concerning positive attitudes toward homosexuality among young, sporting men in the UK.

KEYWORDS:

• Homosexuality
• homophobia
• higher education
• inclusive masculinity
• sport
• ALTG
• university
• sexuality

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Widening participation’ refers to governmental attempts to increase the number of students entering higher education from under-represented groups (e.g. BME communities, working-class communities, and so on).

2 This process began in 2013 and ran for five consecutive years.

3 Author 4 changed institution approximately halfway through the data collection process; however, ethical approval was granted by his new institution shortly after arrival.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rory Magrath

Rory Magrath is Associate Professor of Sociology at Solent University, Southampton, UK. His research focuses on decreasing homophobia and the changing nature of contemporary masculinities, with a specific focus on elite sport in the UK.

John Batten

John Batten is a Senior Fellow in Learning and Teaching and Subject Group Lead Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Winchester. He uses various research methods to examine issues related to inclusivity in sport, physical activity and health, expectancy effects, as well as acquired brain injury in sport and the military.

Eric Anderson

Eric Anderson is Professor of Sport, Health and Social Sciences at the University of Winchester, UK. He holds four degrees, has published 17 books, over 70 peer-reviewed articles, and is regularly featured in international television, print and digital media. His work shows a decline in cultural homohysteria and promotes inclusive attitudes toward openly gay, lesbian and bisexual athletes as well as a softening of heterosexual masculinities.

Adam J. White

Adam J. White is a Lecturer in Sport and Coaching Sciences at Oxford Brookes University and is the Executive Director of the Concussion Legacy Foundation UK. He is a multi-disciplinary academic whose work has focused on both equalities and social inclusion in sport as well as making youth sport safer regarding brain injuries.