Human Sexuality and Gender Studies - Essay Example

UMАN SЕХUАLITY & GЕNDЕR STUDIЕS by Student’s name Code+ course name Professor’s name University name City, State Date Question 8: In what ways is sport a site for the construction of masculinity? Sports cover a broad category of events; physical, leisure and competitive. Sports fall under different categories such as from global soccer to boat racing, from wrestling to chess. Sports are social and cultural activities through which communal constructions of masculinity and feminism are propagated. Sports are conventionally linked with masculinity aspects. Within various communities, it is considered unsuitable for a woman to participate in sport activities. A woman who participates in sports, is perceived to be masculine. On the other hand, any man, who does not participate in sports or who might not be talented in sports, might be perceived to be unmanly (Hanold 2012). The practices of sports are linked with various assumptions in regard to work and Leisure activities, which are usually perceived differently by both men and women. The care for the sick and aged, raising kids, and various activities within the homesteads, that is reproductive activities, that are still mainly done by females and girls, are usually not communally and economically appreciated as work (Essed 2009). Productive undertakings carried outside the realms of homesteads are acknowledged as work – and especially whenever they are carried out by men – brings to them the privileges of having time off work for vacation (Wheaton 2014). Various communities value sports as productive since it results to the physical wellbeing of the workers, particularly those participating in manual labor. In spite the fact that, in various markets, more females constitute the employees, sports might be taken more seriously if undertaken by males and be taken as a wastage of time if carried out by females (Crawley et al. 2008). Women and men have a tendency of engaging in various forms of physical activities and their perception towards sports might be differing significantly. The competitive nature of various sports might to some be the heart of the games, whereas to others, sports might just be a chance of getting together. To be identified and to identify oneself as to belong to a specific culture, ethnicity, socio-economic group or caste is significant on the manner in which one participates in sports (Pilcher & Whelehan 2004). Sports emphasize the competitors to create and perpetuate their bodily patriarchy since they are appropriate ground within which the ma1e bodies may participate in masculine tasks without fearing to be reattributed. Similarly, bodies are major sites of supremacy or the locus of dominance. By use of the legalization of the masculine sports, dominance is strengthened and consequently continued. Expressively, the bodily tasks carried out in the arena of competitive sports entail significant gender impacts since the competency of this sort turns out to be a manner of making judgment of one's manhood (Connell 2005). Boys are introduced to sports at an early age than girls To a significant level, sports play a big role in the masculinization of all the males. Boys are usually presented to sports at a tender age. With no past experiences, it is within the initial schooling life that makes boys acquainted to the world of sports. On the other hand, prior to their sports experience within the school life, the boys note that sports, on their televisions and pictures found within newspapers and magazines are mainly played by men. In addition, it is usually their dads, and other men, who have a lot of passion in sports, in terms of watching and participating (Halberstam 1998). According to Riggs (2010), men are usually introduced to organized sports by their older brothers and dads and, after participating, they find themselves playing in an exclusively male arena. Since sports is an exclusive male arena men start to compare their masculinity with how competitive they are, physical abilities and talents while having a perception that that girls don’t, or can’t participate in these tasks. Therefore, sports establish, and later highlight gender disparities early within the life of a man. As a boy, he starts viewing men and women to be substantially unlike through the discrimination of genders in sports either as they participate in school sports events or as they spectate the adult sports (Seidler 2006). Competition is based on one’s masculinity The bodies of human beings become critical sociological aspect when masculinity and sporting activities are put into consideration. Through the appreciation of the gender-segregated, gendered activities of organized sports, men have a different perception of their bodies compared to their female counterparts. A male's body has the ability of conferring manhood upon him as he uses it forcefully and in space occupying methods and it is through the sporting activities that males can rightfully exhibit these abilities. When a male renders another male unconscious in the soccer pitch through the application of reasonable tackles is usually perceived as a sign of being tough and rugged masculinity though, outside the sports domain it is legally perceived a criminal offence (Connell 1995; Chafetz 2006). Sports provide male with the opportunity of using his body as a demonstration of the male status. Not only is being an indication of being masculine but also succeeding, irrespective of one’s body shape or size. Being competitive is vital to males since it is an avenue through which they prove what their bodies are able to achieve. Therefore, more masculinity is attained after a male wins and becomes successful (Fausto-Sterling 2000). The relationship that is evident between masculinity and sport is significant. A big number of males like competitions as a way of demonstrating what their bodies can do, others perceive them as the justifiable ground within which they are capable of proving their masculinity as they exhibit their strength and vigor. In general, men have a perception that the sports are their territory. Conversely, men have begun feeling exposed and fearing the invasion of the female counterparts in the same way as they invaded the masculine locus of the workstation (Gardiner 2002; Chandler & Nauright 2013). However, surf lifesavers portray a significant self-exaltation and maintains a positive self-image where their bodies are point of concern. In spite of the elite level members constantly participating within the weight training while perceiving their activities like the bodybuilders perceives theirs, these males are believed to be well adjusted and original men (Chafetz (2006 ). A considerable part of this notion by the Western culture sprouts from the perception that training is an everlasting routine for these males. Not like the bodybuilders, who base their achievements on not what their bodies are capable of doing, but, what their bodies look like they could do, the surf lifesavers are perceived as aesthetically attractive, well-functioning, instrumental bodies. The the functionality and forms of the surf lifesavers override the perception of authority, virility and dexterity of the bodybuilders, which is considerably similar to the context of the models, beauty competitions or movie stars as opposed to the sporting heroes (Anderson 2005; Sinha 1995). Some elite triathletes have feeling of self in regard to their body images and masculine look though they all, in their future lives, intend to become bigger. In spite of attaining their masculine identities, and various aspects of security, following competitive achievements these males regularly have a feeling that they are defenseless while in presence of males who have exceptionally large, or well-muscled figures. It is only during the time they are in their own triathlon set up do they have a feeling of fully comfortable with their physical figures. However, they get consolation when they realize that their bodies have the ability of performing physical achievements that most men and women can’t (Galilee 2002; Newkirk 2002). Most males like being recognized in sports Boys get into sporting activities having various intentions, many of which are status, participating in subcultures, relationships and pleasure. On the other hand, the main reason as to why males engaged in sporting activities is in quest of recognition as well as esteem from their dads and eventually a significant level of masculine self. Boys who try maintain a masculine self by the way of achievements through sports learn that constant achievement is the main way to maintain this self. In spite perceiving that their masculine self are on the basis of strong foundations of athletic abilities, it is actually and considerably difficult in the basis of insecurity, self-esteem and association with other people (McKay et al. 2000; Chandler & Nauright 2013). High salaries are earned by male participants Men participating in athletics are perceived as heroic and exemplary. When men are substantially athletic and skillful in their sports they gain more respect and acceptance than their female counterparts. As a result of this acceptance men are capable of gaining more monetary benefits. As stated earlier, their popularity is significantly different. Sports that have men participating have more media coverage, as well as more fans and thus have the ability of making more money. According to Brummett & Ishak, (2013), athletes, who are professionals, sign contracts with different teams whereby they devot themselves to play with a specific team for a particular duration of time being paid a specific amount of money. Just as it is the case of other businesses, a player’s remuneration is determined by the amount of profit the firm feels they are likely to earn from the player. Males within the sports sector are capable of earning salaries based on their reputation and skills. Sports teams earn their money from stock, sale of tickets and franchises from the matches. Since more fans attend men’s matches and use more money on male’s teams, male players earn more money than their female counterparts (Messner 1992). Female players are significantly disadvantaged in regard to the salaries they earn from their teams. For instance, some large contracts signed by male athletes total to almost $275,000,000. This amount of money is paid for about ten years, whereby $27,500,000 paid yearly to Alex Rodriguez, who comes from the New York Yankees. The topmost paid female athletes of the year 2011 were making a total earning of $25,000,000 and this amount of money included all earnings together with all the revenues from sponsors, endorsers and marketing she had participated in (Ted 2012). According to Lind (2008), females are more disadvantaged in regard to their remunerations outside their sports contracts. Some of these comprise of endorsement sponsorships as well as marketing. In regard to men, it is sufficient to do well in their own sports. For example, LeBron James (an NBA star) was awarded a $90,000,000 contract by the Nike shoes while he was in his High School studies. By the time his contract matured, he was just a kid who had just turned eighteen years old but was a gifted basketball player. The decision of Nike Company appeared to pay off though their rationale was as a result of LeBron’s exceptional talent. However, this might not be the case for the female athletes. For females to become stars within their sports isn’t sufficient. By taking a look at majority of the female players who make more money through marketing and endorsements, do so through their sexual body languages. By looking at the 5 top paid female sportspersons of the year 2011, three of them plainly sexualized themselves for monetary gains. Maria Sharapova, Danica Patrick and Venus Williams were adding some sexual aspects to themselves so as to attain marketing prospects (Ted 2012). In conclusion, sport is a social institution that is significantly emphasizing the gap between two sexes based on the communal construction. We expect that males and females are considered equally. But this is not the case. Within the sports domain, masculinity is propagated significantly since men have more media coverage, salaries than their female counterparts. Masculinity is also evident since males have more fans in their sports compared to their female counterparts. Sport is a site through which masculinity is being propagated. The main factor that propagates this perception is the societal opinions as well as the organization of the professional institutions of sports. Bibliography Anderson, E. (2005). In the game. Gay Athletes and the Cult of Masculinity. Albany, NY: SUNY. Brummett, B. & Ishak, A. (2013). Sports and Identity New Agendas in Communication. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Chafetz, J. (2006). Handbook of the sociology of gender. New York: Springer Chafetz, J. (2006). Handbook of the sociology of gender. New York: Springer Chandler, T. & Nauright, J. (2013). Making Men. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis Chandler, T., & Nauright, J. (2013). Making Men. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Connell, R. (2005). Masculinities. Cambridge: Polity Press. Connell, R.W. (1995) Masculinities, University of California Press. Crawley, S., Foley, L. & Shehan, C. (2008). Gendering bodies. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Essed, P. (2009). A companion to gender studies. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. Fausto-Sterling, A. (2000) Sexing the Body, Basic Books. Galilee, J. (2002) Class Consumption: Understanding middle class young men and their fashion choices, Men & Masculinities, 5/1. Gardiner, J. (2002). Masculinity studies & feminist theory new directions. New York: Columbia University Press. Halberstam, J. (1998). Female masculinity. Durham: Duke University Press. Hanold, M. (2012). World sports a reference handbook. Santa Barbara, Calif: Abc-clio. Lind, A. (2008). Battleground women, gender, and sexuality. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. McKay, J., Messner, M. & Sabo, D. (2000). Masculinities, gender relations, and sport. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Messner, M. (1992). Power at play : sports and the problem of masculinity. Boston: Beacon Press Newkirk, T. (2002). Misreading masculinity: Boys, literacy, and popular culture. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Pilcher, J & Whelehan, I . (2004), Fifty key concepts in gender studies SAGE Publications. Riggs, D. (2010). What about the children! masculinities, sexualities and hegemony. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars. Seidler, V. (2006) Young men and masculinity, London: Zed. Sinha, M. (1995). Colonial masculinity: The 'manly Englishman' and the' effeminate Bengali' in the late nineteenth century. Manchester: Manchester University Press ;. Ted, T (2012). Gender Differences: Sports Sexualizing Women, retrieved from http://mkopas.net/courses/soc287/2012/08/06/gender-differences-sports-sexualizing-women/ Wheaton, B. (2014). The cultural politics of lifestyle sports. New York: Routledge Read More

Sports emphasize the competitors to create and perpetuate their bodily patriarchy since they are appropriate ground within which the ma1e bodies may participate in masculine tasks without fearing to be reattributed. Similarly, bodies are major sites of supremacy or the locus of dominance. By use of the legalization of the masculine sports, dominance is strengthened and consequently continued. Expressively, the bodily tasks carried out in the arena of competitive sports entail significant gender impacts since the competency of this sort turns out to be a manner of making judgment of one's manhood (Connell 2005).

Boys are introduced to sports at an early age than girls To a significant level, sports play a big role in the masculinization of all the males. Boys are usually presented to sports at a tender age. With no past experiences, it is within the initial schooling life that makes boys acquainted to the world of sports. On the other hand, prior to their sports experience within the school life, the boys note that sports, on their televisions and pictures found within newspapers and magazines are mainly played by men.

In addition, it is usually their dads, and other men, who have a lot of passion in sports, in terms of watching and participating (Halberstam 1998). According to Riggs (2010), men are usually introduced to organized sports by their older brothers and dads and, after participating, they find themselves playing in an exclusively male arena. Since sports is an exclusive male arena men start to compare their masculinity with how competitive they are, physical abilities and talents while having a perception that that girls don’t, or can’t participate in these tasks.

Therefore, sports establish, and later highlight gender disparities early within the life of a man. As a boy, he starts viewing men and women to be substantially unlike through the discrimination of genders in sports either as they participate in school sports events or as they spectate the adult sports (Seidler 2006). Competition is based on one’s masculinity The bodies of human beings become critical sociological aspect when masculinity and sporting activities are put into consideration.

Through the appreciation of the gender-segregated, gendered activities of organized sports, men have a different perception of their bodies compared to their female counterparts. A male's body has the ability of conferring manhood upon him as he uses it forcefully and in space occupying methods and it is through the sporting activities that males can rightfully exhibit these abilities. When a male renders another male unconscious in the soccer pitch through the application of reasonable tackles is usually perceived as a sign of being tough and rugged masculinity though, outside the sports domain it is legally perceived a criminal offence (Connell 1995; Chafetz 2006).

Sports provide male with the opportunity of using his body as a demonstration of the male status. Not only is being an indication of being masculine but also succeeding, irrespective of one’s body shape or size. Being competitive is vital to males since it is an avenue through which they prove what their bodies are able to achieve. Therefore, more masculinity is attained after a male wins and becomes successful (Fausto-Sterling 2000). The relationship that is evident between masculinity and sport is significant.

A big number of males like competitions as a way of demonstrating what their bodies can do, others perceive them as the justifiable ground within which they are capable of proving their masculinity as they exhibit their strength and vigor. In general, men have a perception that the sports are their territory. Conversely, men have begun feeling exposed and fearing the invasion of the female counterparts in the same way as they invaded the masculine locus of the workstation (Gardiner 2002; Chandler & Nauright 2013).

However, surf lifesavers portray a significant self-exaltation and maintains a positive self-image where their bodies are point of concern.

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