As a former athlete myself, and an avid sports fan, the prevalence of homophobia in sports is nothing new to me.
In a recent study, researchers found that 80 percent of participants in the study who were all athletes have experienced homophobia while playing team sports, no matter what their sexual orientation is. Of those participants, 84 percent of those who identified as gay or lesbian heard slurs such as "faggot" and "dyke" while playing sports.
As a former athlete myself, and an avid sports fan, the prevalence of homophobia in sports is nothing new to me. My nickname when I played soccer was "Twinkle Toes." It was born from a combination of me being fast and me being effeminate. I'll take the fast bit, but I was not out of the closet at the time and hearing that nickname was not exactly a welcoming thing, even though I joke about it now. Playing on a team — in my case, on a soccer team — was an enriching experience, as it is for many young people around the world. Studies have shown repeatedly that team sports help boost self-confidence in young people and have physical, mental and developmental benefits. However, like many queers athletes, I was receiving mixed messages from the community, embracing me as a team player, but giving me a nickname based on my effeminate voice and propensity to run with one limp wrist.
Homophobia in the sports world comes from a variety of sources, one being gender norms and stereotypes placed on everyone in society. In society, men are supposed to act and be masculine, while women are supposed to act and be feminine. The sports world and how it is perceived in society adds to this societal norm. An example would be the stereotypes given to women who play sports. If you are a female athlete, especially in a team sport, you have probably been called a dyke or thought of as a possible lesbian. The truth is that lesbians do play sports, as do straight and bisexual women, as well as women of every other sexual orientation. These women who play sports are seen as masculine because sports are generally seen as a masculine activity and, therefore, are for lesbians.
We can see the gender expectations for men as well. Sports provides an experience for men to interact with other men, show vulnerability and show a sense of love for the team and their teammates. Think about watching football and how teammates will hug each other after a touchdown, or show genuine emotion and cry if their team loses a playoff game or the Super Bowl. In the world of sports, this emotion is shown prominently but can be ridiculed. We see this with younger athletes who are told to "man up" and not show the emotion they may feel if they are in pain or emotional about an outcome. This, alongside the incredibly toxic form of hyper-masculinity displayed in a young man's life from the media, father figures( such as coaches), makes this genuine emotion a source of ridicule. It also leaves queer athletes, in this case, gay men, in a tough spot, because the love and affection towards each other in the realm of world of sports is reserved for heterosexual guys. The classic term "no homo" before a butt smack or hug comes along with it, too. This attitude forces gay, bisexual and men of other sexualities to stay in the closet or to not play the sport at all.
Homophobia expands to include our transgender friends as well. Overall, there is a lack of clear scientific studies and information on the experiences of transgender athletes. Transgender athletes do face discrimination and fear in locker rooms in addition to feeling accepted on a broader scale, particularly as a result of how we view sports in a binary fashion: men's and women's sports. One study found that 44 percent of trans participants were scared to go to the gym for fear of being outed or harassed. In recent times and in the past, there has been much controversy regarding athletes and their gender identity, particularly at the international level. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has made changes over the years on how they view gender and how that affects whether an athlete can compete for their country or not. We are seeing responses from certain major sports leagues. The NBA, National Basketball Association pulled their All-Star Game from Charlotte, North Carolina because of HB2, a discriminatory law against transgender folks. Moving the All-Star Game will cost the city more than $100 million in revenue they would have made if they'd allowed the game to be played there.
Less representation in anything can result in decreased interested in general. If LGBTQ+ folks are not seeing themselves represented in athletics, they are less likely to pay attention or play those sports. We can see this in how women's sports are seen on a national level. They are broadcast the same, seen at the same rate, and people will bash female sports even though they are covered so much less than male sports. This lack of representation leads to female athletes not being represented properly and add to the stereotype that women don't like sports. Maybe, if we saw more equitable representation and airtime for female sports, we could move beyond such dichotomous gender stereotypes.
Seeing the influx of LGBTQ+ athletes who are out in their particular sports, to their team and the general public, helps young LGBTQ+ athletes and their allies. Studies have shown that more and more people are out and playing popular sports under the age of 22. Having the support of at least one team member is crucial. Having a teammate who knows the athlete's sexuality and is supportive can help them come out to the rest of the team and lead to a more inclusive attitude within the team. Being an ally for your fellow teammates can make a world of difference. There is more to be done, besides being a supportive ally. Organizations, teams, schools and coaches need to crack down on hate speech, including homophobic, transphobic and sexist comments. And this can start at any level: professional, college, high school or younger. Coaches need to stop telling their teams to "man up and stop playing like girls." Referees and sports institutions need to take homophobic remarks seriously and have consequences for negative actions. Some leagues are already starting this and are seeing great results.
This also includes fans. I have heard some of the worst comments from fans. Fans should show respect to all of the athletes, even if they are on the opposing team. Just enjoy the game and shut up.
Having high profile athletes like Tom Daley, Jason Collins, Michael Sam, Gus Kenworthy and Megan Rapinoe come out and be awesome role models for athletes, LGBT or not, is exactly what we need. It is an institutional and structural change that will create an environment where we can have more out athletes. It is changing behaviors and norms to not go to gender stereotypes, to be more accepting and inclusive of all athletes, and, hopefully, it will not make the cover of ESPN magazine if an athlete comes out. There are plenty of LGBTQ+ athletes out there who can play and play well. To adopt a Miami University Men's hockey team's slogan, "If you can play, you can play."
All of my researched information came from the video "Why Are Sports Homophobic" by ASAP THOUGHT.
