Tenth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

Sports have provided a sense of social hierarchy and masculine identity for generations of men in Western societies (Burgess, Edwards, & Skinner, 2003). Same-sex attracted (SSA) men who have practised in mainstream sporting clubs have previously reported feelings of exclusion, and becoming targets for negative behaviours e.g., bullying. Newly emerging sporting literature have reported growing acceptance of SSA men’s involvement in sport, but did not report on their experiences when training in combat sport (martial arts). This paper reports on how these SSA men negotiate sexual identity and martial arts. This study used face-to-face and electronic (e.g., Skype) interviews with 25 SSA men in 2015-2016. FINDINGS: 80% (20) identified as gay; 12% (3) identified as bisexual and 8% (2) identified with another sexual identity. No significant changes to their physical behaviours (e.g., pretending to be tough) was reported to be able to practise martial arts. Expected form of male patterns of practice including toughness were demonstrated by these men facilitating their acceptance. The men acknowledged that their experience would have been different if they appeared overtly feminine i.e., “camper.” Martial arts practitioners who identify as SSA were not required to modify their behaviour to hide their sexual identity. However, the outwards perception of acceptance by other martial artists was only granted because they met standards of masculine behaviours required for a martial artist such as: strength, aggression and toughness in martial arts.