Deeper Look: Homophobia in the NFL

The homophobic nature of the NFL can be explained by the hierarchical structures of male masculinity. Throughout almost the entire event, the broadcast seemed like a fictional "how-to guide for masculinity". Male hegemony is implied by the strictly male structure of the NFL itself, and also by the roles females take on during the game. On the field there is an intricate hierarchy of men who are charged with keeping the game running smoothly, reminiscent of a patriarchy in which the man who best embodies the spirit of masculinity is made king. Typical male stereotypes of strength, courage, stoicism, vitality, and endurance are encouraged, and the losers are compared to homosexuals (which in the hegemonic framework equals less-than male). In the world of professional football, admitting homosexuality is overwhelmingly rare. Considering that sports are a socially acceptable way for males to initiate intimate physical contact with one another, it's not surprising that a game with erotic undertones would also attempt to temper and regulate this intimacy. In the social organization of masculinity, the distinction between being a homosexual male and a female is blurred; calling another player a homosexual is almost like emasculating them. This interaction reinforces one player's status as superior and the other's as subordinate. It is the totality of all of these interactions throughout the game between men of varying social value that supports a hierarchy in which caricatures of stereotypes dominate and homosexuals occupy the subordinate position.