Male Fans Research Articles

Gender Fluidity Versus Homohysteria: How Young Chinese Male Fans Consume Athletic Bromance

This article investigates how young Chinese male fans interpret and engage with mediated athletic bromances, drawing from interviews with university students who follow sports games closely. The research uncovers complex dynamics wherein these fans contextually embrace and delegitimise the homoerotic aspects of mediated athletic bromances as they navigate their sports consumption. This phenomenon reflects the multifaceted experiences of young men in contemporary China, where the market and the party-state co-create a tapestry of overlapping, yet conflicting gender expectations. The findings illuminate the intricate relations between consumer culture and nationalist politics crafted in present-day China, as well as their specific manifestations within sports fandom.

‘When I walk through the stadium’s gate, I have to be a man among the others’: doing gender by female Tunisian football fans

ABSTRACT Focusing on female fans of professional football teams in Tunisia, this article highlights the ways in which gender is performed within the specific context of football fandom. Based on a qualitative sociological study conducted through 23 semi-structured interviews with a group of women who identify as football team fans, this article analyses fandom's feminine performance. By examining the behaviours of women in the stands, a space dominated by male fans, the article explores the values, language, and gestures they adopt (and do not adopt) in reference to the characteristics valued in Tunisian society. The existing patterns of male dominance are reinforced by the various dimensions of the fans’ gender performance in this ‘male bastion’. Although women seem to accept male dominance and gender hierarchies in order to be recognized as authentic fans, the results show that women both construct and deconstruct their gender, highlighting the kaleidoscopic nature of gender.

Multiple Identities as Buffer or Catalyst? An Investigation of Psycho-Behavioral Effects of Sports Fans’ Exposure to Abusive Social Media Content

ABSTRACT Sports, traditionally pregnant with aggression and violence, are now a breeding ground for online abuse, where toxicity and malicious campaigns on social media have even afflicted national sports role models together with their huge fan base. Drawing on an online survey of 917 Chinese volleyball enthusiasts, this study investigated the psycho-behavioral outcomes of sports fans’ social media exposure to abusive messages about their idols through the lens of rejection-(dis)identification theory. Findings indicate that fans’ subjective frequency of negative social media exposure is significantly negatively associated with their sport-related well-being but has no direct connection with their offline sport engagement. The study particularly delves into the mediating roles of fans’ multiple identities, namely sport identity as a competitive mediator and national identity as a complementary mediator. Furthermore, with multi-group structural equation modeling and mediation analyses on gender sub-groups, gender differences were determined such that male fans, compared with female fans, were more likely to marshal their identity capital, which effectively enhanced their well-being and participation in sports. By linking classic theoretical propositions, this study offers a nuanced understanding of the sociopsychological consequences of online abuse in sports for ordinary social media users, contributing to both theoretical insights and practical implications.

Exploring the construction of masculinity among male K-POP fans: a case study of K-POP fandom in Makassar City within the context of social environmet and education

Background: In contemporary Indonesian society, K-Pop has emerged as a significant cultural phenomenon with a unique impact on gender perceptions. This study aims to explore the social construction of masculinity among K-Pop fanboys in Makassar, Indonesia, and examine the societal positioning of this form of masculinity. It draws on the definition of masculinity as a societal construct and examines how masculinity is shaped by social influences. Method: Utilizing Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann's theory of social construction, the study views masculinity as a dynamic process involving externalization, objectivation, and internalization. It also references Janet Saltzman Chafetz's identification of areas of masculinity and R.W. Connell's concept of hegemonic masculinity to understand the hierarchical nature of masculine identities. Findings: Despite the popularity of K-Pop, male fans often face negative stigma and discrimination due to perceptions of K-Pop as feminine. The study reveals how masculinity is constructed among K-Pop fanboys in Makassar and their experiences of societal discrimination. Conclusion: By analyzing these dynamics, the study contributes to a broader understanding of the diverse forms of masculinity and the impact of cultural phenomena like K-Pop on gender constructs. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study highlights the unique dynamics in the construction of masculinity among male K-Pop fans in Indonesia, revealing the complex interactions between global culture, local gender identities, and social stigma. By applying social construction theory to the K-Pop phenomenon, this study opens up new perspectives in understanding the evolution of masculinity in the era of pop culture globalization.

A Digital Archaeology of Early Hispanic Film Culture: Film Magazines and the Male Fan Reader

As a sociologically-oriented study, this project contributes to an archaeology of cinema fandom broadly, and early Spanish fan culture specifically, by spotlighting male readers of popular film magazines. Taking as an exploratory case study reader interactivity with the magazine Popular Film, analysis of correspondence and published photos of readers participating in reader contests demonstrates that the magazine’s cinema fan base was composed of a strikingly large proportion of readers who were male and that these were ardent enthusiasts of celebrity consumer culture. This is a notable contradistinction to the widely-held idea of the star-struck female movie fan. Methodologically, in conducting this study we reflect on the challenges of digital approaches to historical periodical research, where particular challenges are posed when working with magazines in a non-anglophone language, and when there are few baseline studies to rely on to guide and contextualize patterns picked up through strictly macro methods. We advocate for the affordances of a mixed macro-micro approach that combines distant reading with traditional textual studies of close reading. By adopting such a hybrid framework, digital methods provide new opportunities towards reconstructing profiles of magazine readerships and to unearth evidence of male movie fans in Spain.

‘Forgive me for saying, but rugby is not a game for women:’ an exploration of contemporary attitudes towards women’s rugby union

While sport has traditionally been seen, and represented, as a male domain, some sports, such as rugby, have been particularly ‘gender-typed’ as masculine. However, in recent years, this narrative has been challenged by the rising profile, and popularity, of women’s rugby. In response to these shifts, this paper uses a survey to explore rugby fans’ attitudes towards women’s rugby and employs a framework adapted from the study of football to make sense of the data. The findings suggest that although some rugby fans’ attitudes align with the earlier football model, covert misogyny is a less salient category. Furthermore, female fans of rugby are as likely to hold overtly misogynistic and sexist attitudes towards the women’s game as male fans. Finally, it suggests that the middle-class culture of the sport is more likely to lead to careful impression management when discussing women’s rugby, which is reflected in our use of the category of ‘gender-bland’.

Body and Gender: Postfeminism and Representation of Girl Groups in K-pop Music Videos

As South Korean pop music (K-pop) gains popularity globally, people start to realize the exploitation and gender discrimination undermined in the patriarchal society that girl groups go through. This study aims to examine how exploitation is inflicted on female idols and how it influences fashion trends and the evolution of the representation of girl groups in the K-pop industry through analyzing music videos (MVs) and the lyrics of title tracks from different K-pop girl groups from the 3rd generation to the 5th generation with postfeminist lens. The results of the study indicate that K-pop girl groups undergo three stages of transformation in media representation. First, girl groups experience hypersexualization or infantilization by wearing high heels, miniskirts, and school uniforms, in order to satisfy male gazes from male fans. Second, the popularity of girl crush makes girl groups choose boots and leather clothes to indicate girl power, which explores the female fanbase. Third, K-pop producers conceptualize girl groups to satisfy different ideologies, meaning that members of girl groups have to give up authenticity to achieve synchronization and coherence. To conclude, dominated by a patriarchal society, girl groups satisfy the male gaze while empowering sisterhood and questioning heterosexuality with the influence of feminism, which indicates a postfeminist landscape.

Gambaran Psikologis Mahasiswa Laki-Laki Penyuka Anime Genre Yaoi (Fudanshi) di Kota Makassar

Fudanshi is a male fan of yaoi (Boy's love) anime. Fudanshi realize that their liking is a taboo in society, but still watch yaoi anime because they have various reasons, both from the psychological aspect of fudanshi, and from the closest people to fudanshi. This study aims to see the psychological picture and background of people around from fudanshi. The research method used in this research is qualitative with a case study approach. The data collection technique used in this research was interviews of one male student aged 19 years. The results of the research show that family background influences respondent to know and watch yaoi anime. From the cognitive aspect, in the form of views towards the yaoi anime, which does not have a big difference from other anime genres, from the affective aspect, there are feelings of fear and sadness regarding the public's response, while in terms of conation, there are changes in behavior before dan after getting to know the yaoi anime. The results of this research can be a source of information regarding the psychological picture of individuals who like the yaoi anime.

Fangirl or Qualified Fan: Identity Construction of Female Chinese Soccer Fans

Research on sports fans has increased in line with Chinas ambition to become a leading sports nation. However, studies regarding female Chinese soccer fans are still insufficient. Based on semi-structured interviews with Chinese female soccer fans and cyber ethnography, findings suggest that apart from similar identity construction practices to male fans, female fans show typical motivations and behaviors in the establishment of fan identity. This is mainly about emphasis and display of emotions, which reflect traits of female gender roles. Because of the social expectation that women play an expressive role when female fans enter the soccer field, which is dominated by instrumentality and masculinity, they may face mild or severe rejection. As a result, their identity as soccer fans may also be threatened. The study concludes that female fans are able to construct their identity in unique ways and that their criteria for becoming qualified fans are influenced by internalized gender role norms.

The Power of Chaos

The Power of Chaos

Korean Beauty Product Branding Trough Men: A Prestige Fulfillment For Fans

The visual beauty of entertainment actors is the main attraction for Korean popular culture products, especially beauty trends. Korean wave through beauty products offers a new discourse that beauty is not only absolute for the female but also represented through the male body. This is interesting to research because the preference for consumption patterns of aesthetic culture among Korean fans is not only for women, male fans are also objects of the Korean beauty product market. Interviews were conducted with Korean fans in Bandung, who are members of the Hansamo community and members of the cover dance by face-to-face. The results showed that South Korea successfully marketed beauty products through the perfect visual quality of Korean celebrities, instant branding, pop-up stores with attractive themes, and the provision of free testers. Korean Wave succeeded in utilizing the desire of Korean fans to consume Korean beauty products to fulfill their prestige in achieving the perfect face, fashion (style), and appearance like their idol.

Male and Female Compliment Patterns and Topics Used by Bts Fans’ Comments on Hybe Labels

Compliment is a polite expression of praise and admiration, an action or situation that implies admiration or respect. One of the important features that evaluation produces is compliments: compliments reflect cultural values, beliefs and speaker. Non-linguistic factor that can affect the use of language, such as compliments, is gender. Male and female use different words, so the manner they provide compliments are also different. This study was conducted to discover the male and female compliment patterns and topics used in BTS fans’ comments on the Hybe Labels’ YouTube channel. The researcher used qualitative descriptive method in this study. It analyzes the form of compliment given by male and female fans to BTS through YouTube comments. This final project explained, analyzed and interpreted the fan compliments to BTS. The results of this study showed that male and female BTS fans’ compliments follow a simple syntax pattern, using adjectival compliments rather than verbs of liking. These compliment topics are appearance, hard work, performance, possession, achievement, skill, and talent. The most used theme in this survey is compliment for skill, primarily from male fans. In summary, there is not much difference between male and female fans when it comes to complementing BTS's Dynamite music video on Hybe Labels' YouTube channel.

Beyond stereotypes: Women and their engagement in football fandom

In common opinion, football fandom constitutes a male space as men are perceived to be more ‘authentic’ and engaged fans, more attached to the club. This article makes a contribution to the discussion on the differences between female and male fans and their modes of engagement. We aimed to answer the question of whether there are any differences between male and female supporters in: (1) self-stereotyping (agency, communion, independent self-construal, interdependent self-construal), (2) strength of the bond with the fandom and perceived personal gains from attachment to the club (identity fusion with other fans, collective action on behalf of the fan community, self-expansion) and (3) acceptance of aggressive behaviours. We applied a mixed-method approach and conducted both in-depth interviews with female football fans and quantitative analysis based on a survey among Polish football supporters. In contradiction to gender stereotypes, the results of a study conducted among 864 fans show that women saw themselves as more agentic than men did, had a stronger independent self-construal, and declared more self-development and stronger personal gains that can be achieved due to the participation in fandom culture. Moreover, gender differences in the strength of identity fusion and collective action tendency on behalf of the fandom were not significant.

Us versus them mentality in football fans: Significant social defeat engages the mentalization network and disengages cognitive control areas

Background: Social affiliation is one of the building blocks that shapes cultures and communities. This motivation contributes to the development of social bonding among individuals within a group, enjoying rights, assuming obligations, and strengthening its identity. Evidence has shown that social affiliation has inspired different social phenomena, such as wars, political movements, social struggles, among others, based on two human motivations: the ingroup love and the outgroup hate. One contemporary group to study as a proxy of social affiliation, and ingroup and outgroup motivations is the sports competition. However, this affiliation model has been poorly considered in social neuroscience research. This research aimed to shed light on the neurobiological networks that are related to social affiliation in football fans of two of the most popular Chilean football teams. Methods: To this end, 43 male fans of two football rival teams watched videos of winning and losing goals of their favorite team while their brain activity was measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Results: The results showed that while the activation of the reward system was observed in fans when their team scores goals against the rival, both the activation of the mentalization network and the inhibition of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex were associated with the emotional correlates of defeat in football fans. Conclusions: Taking these findings together could contribute to a deeper understanding of social affiliation, and more importantly, of extreme affiliation phenomena, and fanaticism.

EXPECTATION FACTORS OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCING CHINESE FANCLUB WITH THAI SUPERSTAR, EASTERNCHINA

With the widespread of Thai dramas on Chinese social media, Thai drama fans in eastern China's growing and set up many Fanclub, the Thai star in the Chinese fans harvest high likability. This study adopted the fan economic theory proposed by Zhang (2010), set the sample as fans who like Thai superstars in East China, and used a questionnaire to survey 432 people. The results of the study show that 99.54% of respondents in East China have a favorite Thai superstar and there are 395 female fans, indicating that female fans are more satisfied with Thai superstars, and the high satisfaction of fans with Thai superstars has a greater impact on their tourism consumption in Thailand. Through the analysis of this research, it has become a guide to help Thailand increase tourism revenue and help Thailand develop new products for Chinese movie fans. Thailand can combine tourism and idol elements to create idol-themed tourism routes and launch daily products aimed at Chinese fans. The sample size of male fan groups in this study is small, and follow-up research can strengthen the research on male fan groups.

Feminine and Sexy: A Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis of Gender Ideology and Professional Cheerleading

Since the 1970s, National Football League (NFL) teams have hired attractive women to dance in scantily clad uniforms as a means of entertaining their heterosexual, male fans—offering a reflection of hegemonic gender ideology in the process. In recent years, a handful of these professional cheerleaders have spoken up and taken action against gender discrimination. Yet, little has changed. This study takes a feminist critical discourse analysis perspective to examining how gender ideology is (re)produced in discourse surrounding the employment roles of NFL cheerleaders, contributing to the perpetuation of gender inequality in sport. Findings demonstrate that three distinct gender ideologies are (re)produced in the discourse, competing with each other to define meanings associated with NFL cheerleading employment roles. Additionally, analysis reveals that while NFL teams have made changes to their cheerleading programs in response to feminist critiques, discourse surrounding these changes continues to (re)produce hegemonic femininity.

‘Partners’, ‘mothers’, and ‘tomboys’. female football fans in the structural trap of assigned roles in Poland

ABSTRACT The number of studies on female fans has recently increased, reflecting the growing number of women in the stands. Studies pay special attention to women’s identification and engagement in football fandom and the ways women struggle for recognition. However, they tend to marginalize the role of other actors in the process of feminization of football. This paper intends to fill this gap by describing the roles imposed on female fans by male fans and other stakeholders. The study draws on interviews conducted with male fans as well as other stakeholders. It tries to show that football culture offers a fixed repertoire of available roles for women: ‘partners’, ‘tomboys’ and ‘mothers’. The research argues that the identified set of social roles tends to reproduce masculine hegemony in the football stands. It is due to the fact that in order to be a part of fandom culture women have to fit into traditional gender roles and meet expectations provided by men instead of developing a distinctive female fandom.

Fan Reflections on Sexuality in Women's Football in the United Kingdom

This article presents the responses of 1,432 male association football fans, collected via an online survey from March 2020 to April 2020, regarding their views on sexuality in women's football in the United Kingdom. The analysis focuses on two broad themes that emerged from the data: (1) the association of women footballers with masculinity and how they subsequently transgress the traditional characteristics of femininity; and (2) a reduced stigma surrounding sexuality in women's football given its lower profile in terms of coverage and the smaller number of fans in comparison to men's football. The article concludes by outlining how there is less homonegativity concerning sexuality in women's football in the United Kingdom, primarily because the heteromasculine position of male fans is not challenged, but fans also reaffirm the stereotypes and myths of nonheterosexual women playing a sport like football.

‘Are you sure you’re not gay?’: Straight and bisexual male experiences of Eurovision Song Contest fandom

ABSTRACT The Eurovision song Contest (ESC), amongst others, recognises lesbian, gay, bisexual and, trans (LGBT) people internationally. Limited attention has been paid in understanding bisexual and straight male engagement with the event. This article examines how these fans experience shame around their fandom. It argues that the cultural contestation and the associations of the ESC as a widely perceived gay pastime determine how bisexual and straight male fans make visible their fandom. This paper explores how these fans negotiate their fan and sexual identities in domestic and public spaces, and through digital objects, such as laptops, televisions, and social media platforms. It reflects on the positionality of the gay male fan researcher when conducting interviews with straight male ESC fans. The findings prompt further discussions regarding the technological distinctions between social media ‘apps’ and how users use their respective interfaces to limit exposure to shaming for their fandom and/or sexual orientation. This also includes further examination of the digital objects through which apps are accessed and how they shape socio-sexual lives and identities.

Uncles’ Generation: Adult Male Fans and Alternative Masculinities in South Korean Popular Music (Translation into Russian)

This article discusses the recent emergence of adult male fans of Korean pop (K-pop) music who openly engage themselves in fan activities typically associated with teenagers (particularly teenage girls) and the significance of their adoration of young female celebrities. The recent appearance of the ‘samchon/uncle fans’ in the K-pop culture discourse marks the first instance since the early 1990s, when teenagers became the primary target audience of South Korea’s entertainment industry, in which male adults reclaimed a significant position as a demographic group of fans. The samchon fans differ from the traditional ajossi (middle-aged, patriarchal men) listeners of adult contemporary music in the kinds of singers and musical genres to which they listen, as well as in their self-identification as fans, participation in fan activities and mass media portrayals. I investigate the implications of the men’s consumption pattern and their representation in South Korean mass media within the contexts of the history of the construction of hegemonic masculinity in South Korea and of recent developments in East Asian popular culture. I also explore possible ways to apply, complicate and question existing theoretical and conceptual frameworks to explain the phenomenon and argue for the possibility of politically potent, alternative masculinities constructed and manifested through the men’s conspicuous consumption of cultural commodities.