A want or a need? Exploring the role of grassroots gay rugby teams in the context of inclusive masculinity

ABSTRACT

There is a long history of researching the ways that the roles and conceptualizations of gender and sexuality are entwined within sport. More recently, there has been an argument within sociology that homophobia is decreasing across Western sports, supposedly reflecting a decline of homophobia across society more generally and crucially, in a way that suggests cultural spaces have been opened up in which ‘inclusive’ conceptualizations of masculinity can be performed. This project adds to these debates, by bringing inclusive masculinity theory into conversation with research that has begun to recognize the plurality of (particularly urban) gay spaces for the first time. It does so by exploring the motivations behind gay men joining (what was at the time of writing), the most recently formed grassroots UK gay rugby team. The findings suggest that whilst players recognize more inclusive masculinities and a decline in homophobia across society more generally, it is in actual fact amongst the gay community itself that difficulties arise. Playing rugby in a gay-friendly team not only offers a safe space to perform inclusive masculinities, but to embody a more inclusive range of homosexualities as well.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender
• inclusive
• masculinity
• sexuality
• rugby union
• sport

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lindsey Gaston

Lindsey Gaston is a Senior Lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University. He received his PhD in Social Science and Health from Durham University in 2014. His research examined the Social History of the Rugby Player’s Associations’ Benevolent Fund with specific attention to the ‘Life After Rugby’ programme. Lindsey also holds three Bachelor Degrees in Sociology, Religious Studies and American Studies from the University of Kansas and a combined Master’s Degree in Sociology and American History from Baker University. His current research area of interest lies within gender, sexuality and LGBTQ+ history.

Laura Dixon

Laura Dixon is a Social Anthropologist and the Programme Leader of Events Management at Liverpool John Moores University. Her publications to date focus on recognition, cosmopolitanism, gender and sexuality amongst elite British ‘lifestyle migrants’ in the tourist town of Sitges, in Spain. She is currently working on exploring ideas of temporality and spatialization in relation to Britons who have recently returned from Spain to the UK.