Masculinity In Sports

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Athletic differences between men and women have much to do with innate characteristics determined by genetics and hormones. These include height, weight, muscle mass, body fat, and aerobic capacity. Male athletes are typically stronger, faster, and tougher. Not only are athletes described by these words but the ideal man is perceived to be athletic, strong, and tough. Focusing on sports, there are many gender issues that are involved. Many people believe that only men should be able to participate in sports and females should not be. As a female athlete, I disagree. Aside from that, there are other issues that focus mainly on men in sports.
Men play sports to follow the ideal male image society has created. Something however, that has caught my attention and made me further investigate is that for many years I have heard many people say that volleyball is a girl’s sport. After hearing people claim some sports are seen as feminine and that if men participate in these sports they are perceived as “gay”, I have questioned masculinity in sports and the ideal male society has created. Sports that are said to be feminine are: figure skating, dance, gymnastics, cheerleading, beach volleyball, court volleyball, equestrian and diving. These sports typically consist of characteristics that are opposed of the ideal male. These sports require precision, …show more content…

Men who participate in sports are trying to meet the ideal male standards by being seen as athletic, which is socially accepted. However, a male who participates on his school’s volleyball team is now often looked at as a ‘girly’ or ‘gay’, and they are not meeting the ideal male

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