The term homophobia was first coined by G Weinberg to mean the irrational condemnation of homosexual individuals which results in violence, deprivation, and separation. It is a prejudice which often leads to acts of discrimination, abuse and violence. Other terms presented are gay and lesbian hatred, sexual orientation and heterosexism. In a study carried out in 1984 study of the national gay task force found that 90% of males and 75% of males reported verbal harassment because of their sexual orientation with nearly 50% threatened with physical violence. With many people still embedded in their traditional beliefs on gender roles may find it very difficult and find it impossible to be tolerant of any behavior that does not fit in what they believe.
In Cohen’s book black queer studies it mainly puts in focus the political struggle that the queer nation has undergone. Mostly because they were not recognized in any political setting with discrimination in play in many areas it did not give them any leverage. Queer theory puts in focus and makes it vital not only the social nature of sexuality. Sexual categories are also varying in intensity in different power distribution. With most political queer nations most notoriously represented ‘in your face’ politics. It points out the challenges that the queer nation experienced during the struggle for political equality. Many activists in the gay and lesbian organizations faced many challenges as there were already other bigger organizations involved in the struggle.
Adrienne rich examines how unique feminism was that led to the rise of lesbianism, braking down points by point on how unappreciated and demeaned women were. In patriarchal times the men who represented the husbands undermined their wives capability and mainly portrayed them as sexual objects. Many women would now find solace in other women as the compassion that prevailed in many who were not accorded the same by their men. From the patriarchal times to the nineteenth century in which feminism was seen as weakness men were accorded the hierarchy of greatness. This mainly happened as described by rich that the women were accorded low paying jobs because of their sexual orientation. This made it harder for women to exert themselves in male related fields of work from as many were taken as secretaries and typists. In many household women were mainly viewed as housewives in which their work was to take care of their homes.
Heteronormativity is an ideology and a set of disciplinary practices that enforce heterosexual relations and related gender roles in social groups. One of the places that is described as heteronormative is in sports with gay and lesbians athletes been culturally and structurally ostracized. Western sport cultures remain some of the last bastions of overt and socially tolerated homophobia.
With queer identities and sexual preferences until recently blatantly denied, excluded or even aggressively marginalized in the masculine heteronormative world of sport. At present gay and lesbian are among the least publicly acknowledged even on sports media. Sport is an all round place where different genders are represented but with the gay and lesbian acceptance has been damning. In many cases gay and lesbian athletes have never reached their goals in getting to the Olympics because of rampant discrimination on their side. Homophobia has played a huge role in this with many heteronormative people not accepting them in the society making it difficult to perform any better than the rest of the players.
Even though many of the sportsmen are mainly accepted in their team’s public scrutiny has led to many problems in the society. To be able to undertake a study on the existence that homophobia and heteronormative behavior has affected sports culture it is imperative and critical to understand the sport. In many countries female athletes have fought hard to be recognized in the many sports categories. . Many women golfers in the United States have not been recognized for their efforts in the sports. This has greatly affected the transformation of the sport with little known female golfers not been able to make it to the top. Sports culture in many countries has come of age with many still grappling with the issue of sexism in the sports. Sports organizations and leading bodies seldom tackle or recognize the reality of lesbian athlete’s resultant in invisibility of lesbians. Issues of heterosexism and homophobia in women’s sports have only been addressed in the early 1990s where effects on the lesbian athletes have been documented.
In sports lesbians lack economic power in sports this mainly happens when the professional women athlete’s corporate sponsors often threaten to withdraw financial sponsorships from sports events and conferences if there is acknowledgement of lesbianism. Financial concerns will undoubtedly influence both professional and amateur athletes which have limited the opportunity for women at this level. Sexism in sports has been exceedingly been part of sports with men using sports as their private domain thus women athletes face the challenges of inequities, gain power and some control on the economic resources. Men have used their predominant male behavior to ostracize and oppress lesbians in the sports industry. In which homophobia in sports is not mostly about sexuality but it perpetuates male dominance and male monopoly for existing resources. Studies addressing lesbian issues in sports have been theoretical with many challenging the inadequacies of the sports literature and critiqued the institution of sports from a feminist perspective.
Heteronormativity effectuates a paradoxical sensitivity towards homosexuality which makes the small rooms even clammier. Mainstream sports culture exists through an understanding of homosexual love or desire for the potential presence of homoeroticism and lesbian desire. Due to discrimination and the many economic associations to gays and lesbians in sports many have opted to remain secret on their sexual orientation. This has caused an upsurge of many people with either the regards of protecting themselves from the public scrutiny and the conditions associated with their sexual orientation. One of the main problems associated but with the existence of sports in feminism is the different ways in which they receive their packages.
Feminists have pointed out that sexism deprives humanity of the full contribution of half of the population with many homophobia deprives humanity and individuals. Homophobia does not tolerate diversity which creates dire consequences making it unique. Gender and heterosexuality closely and strongly overlap in the classification of each other in creation of individual in all gendered and sexualized subjects.
Encouraging an environment and behaviors in which difference is embraced and celebrated. By ensuring that there are relevant policies and procedures put up to disregard homophobic bullying. By doing so then it is possible for these codes of conducts to help in keeping homophobic bullying in institutions. In monitoring and assessing the homophobic bullying through anonymous coach and youth members in associated bullying. Evaluate the responses received and ensure consistent recording and reporting. Provide awareness on homophobic bullying by sports organization. It is crucial for coaches and players to be able to report incidents of homophobia.
It is important and vital to state in fact that homophobic bullying is not right as this may in the end change the actions and attitudes of members. Coaches must use their position to understand the sexual orientation by recognition of homophobic language and be able to respond accordingly confidently and effectively. It is vital that there are penalties for those who portray and engage in homophobic language in order to curb this behavior. It is important for young people to understand the how this affects their behavior of young LGBT. It will be good for all those involved in sports to help in making sure that this policy against homophobic hatred is managed so as to provide reprieve for those in the different sexual orientation.
Works cited
Caudwell, J. (2006). Sport, Sexualities and Queer/Theory. Taylor & Francis .
Dreyer, Y. (2007). Hegemony and the internalisation of homophobia caused by heteronormativity. 1-18.
Michael Atkinson, K. Y. (2008). Deviance and social control in sport. Human Kinetics.
