The social ideology of hegemonic masculinity : a content analysis of Inside Sport magazine

Masculinity has become a fundamental element of hegemony. The masculine norms of courage, aggression, and toughness have formulated a social ideology referred to as hegemonic masculinity. This ideology reinforces the normality of male norms by creating a hierarchical structure where courage, aggression, and toughness are valued as the dominant norms. Furthermore, this dominance is associated with white, heterosexual men, resulting in an oppression of women. Within the institution of sport, researchers have found a common link between hegemonic masculinity and a masculine model of sport. This model represents an alienating ideology of women, an ideology that lacks an authentic meaning in women’s lives. More specifically, hegemonic masculinity is the culturally idealized form of the masculine character that emphasizes the connection between masculinity, toughness, and orientation towards competition and subservience of women. A detailed content analysis of popular sporting magazines supports the ideology of hegemonic masculinity by rendering an atmosphere that tramples over women and other under-represented groups. Furthermore, this analysis confirms that sport is clearly defined and shaped by men’s values, men’s understandings of the world, and men’s sport experiences. As a result, sport does not represent the liberation of women, but their continued oppression through the sexualization of physical activity.