Hegemonic Masculinity In Australia

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The emergence of ‘Jock Culture’, where an elite, male heterosexual body is valued over all others, has socially forced men into a narrow box that promotes manhood as strong, independent and aggressive (Sparkes; Partington; Brown 2007). The social practices surrounding and following this gender hierarchy, where hegemonic masculinity dominates all other genders, can be problematic when oppressive and exclusionary codes of behaviour emerge (Hickey 2006). The belief in ‘Jock Culture’ is just one of the many gender related issues that exist in Australia.
In Hickey’s (2006) exploration of the role of sport and Physical Education (PE), he discovered a shadow of ‘alienation and oppression’ (Hickey 2006, p. 17). While the
United Nations (UN) …show more content…

There is a culture of abuse and an uptake of many discourses associated with hyper masculine sports (Hickey 2006). The 12 commandments of ‘Jock Culture’ introduce oppressive and exclusionary codes of behaviour (Hickey 2006; Sparkes; Partington;
Brown 2007). Commandment 2, ‘choose your sport wisely’ (Sparkes; Partington; Brown
2007, p. 299) coincides with Hickey’s (2006) ethnographic project depicting a conversation between boys aged 7-8 who argue over which sport is considered socially acceptable for an Australian Male. Rugby League is seen as ‘tough and manly’ whereas football (soccer) is ‘weak and feminine. It is evident that these boys believed in sporting discourses, associated with hegemonic masculinity, and used it as a vehicle to exclude and discriminate against their cohort (Hickey, 2006). Therefore, those who choose Rugby
League as a Sport will experience a sense of belonging whereas those who choose Soccer will experience ridicule and exclusion. Ultimately, this coincides with Brown’s (1998,
2005) study of an ‘identity playground hierarchy” that includes groups of insiders …show more content…

314) encourages those who are athletic to obtain a position of power where in turn, they establish practical power and authority (Sparkes; Partington;
Brown 2007, p. 314). Hickey (2006) investigated such issues by discovering what moments defined men’s lives. Mark was considered to be one of the more uncoordinated boys during his school years. He felt very excluded during PE class and experienced serious physical abuse from ‘the footballers’. What is more disturbing is that ‘the footballers’ were very popular among peers and teachers, particularly the PE teachers, reinforcing the discourse where sport and PE endorses only the skilful and athletic
(Hickey, 2006). Consequently, all men involved in this study reported the existence of insiders and outsiders where groups of sporting males had banded together to ‘administer abuse of one form or another’ (Hickey, 2006, p. 19).
Although the attributes, which make up hyper-masculine sports, are built up around elite levels, their influence on society has clearly impacted well beyond this context (Hickey,
2006). It is within the role of PE teachers and coaches to encourage young players to
‘develop a sense of individual responsibility for their actions’ (Hickey, 2006, p. 20)

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