Mapping the landscape of gay men's football

Abstract

Traditionally and in popular culture, football has been associated with particular hegemonic representations of masculinity, including notably heterosexuality. A direct challenge to these attitudes has come from the growth in the number of gay football clubs. This paper explores the reasons for this development and examines the experiences of gay men who play for clubs which compete in specifically gay leagues and also, in some cases, established leagues. Clubs have taken positive and affirmative action to enable them to achieve their primary purpose of playing football. In doing so, they have often tackled homophobia in ways that eschew the conventional punitive approaches associated with organisational actions towards discrimination. Through semi‐structured interviews, focus groups and participant observation, a picture has emerged of gay men's football in the UK today which suggests that a new set of values and principles is emerging that underpins the way they play; aggression and hostility are often eschewed in favour of genuine inclusion and gamesmanship. Gay football is also perceived as a meaningful alternative to ‘the gay scene’ although the reality seems to be that the scene remains a strong part of the culture. Community health issues are evident from the number of players who report positive personal gains from the experience; furthermore, many feel, for the first time, that they genuinely belong within a community.