Bodybuilding Among Gay Individuals

Citation Reference

KAVASOĞLU İ., Anderson E.

Published within the JOURNAL OF GENDER STUDIES, specifically Volume 31, Number 7, this contribution spans pages 812-824 and was issued in 2022. (SSCI-indexed)

Publication Format:Article
Journal Identifier:Volume 31, Issue 7
Year of Publication:2022
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):10.1080/09589236.2021.2018292
Periodical Title:JOURNAL OF GENDER STUDIES
Indexing Services:The journal's content is cataloged across a broad spectrum of major academic databases, including: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, Periodicals Index Online, Educational research abstracts (ERA), Gender Studies Database, Index Islamicus, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Political Science Complete, Psycinfo, Social services abstracts, Sociological abstracts, and Worldwide Political Science Abstracts.
Page Allocation:Pages 812 through 824
Key Terms:Masculinity, homohysteria, bodybuilding, Sport, Turkey, ATTITUDES, LESBIANS, HOMOSEXUALITY, SPORT, TRUSTWORTHINESS, CONSTRUCTION, RELIGIOSITY, HOMOPHOBIA, PREJUDICE, GENDER
&199;ukurova University Linkage:Affirmed

Abstract

This study marks the inaugural exploration of the interconnection between homosexual male athletes and bodybuilding within the geographical confines of Turkey. The staged framework of Inclusive Masculinity Theory is employed by the researchers to elucidate the lived experiences of six gay men, all of whom possess a background in recreational bodybuilding, within an environment characterized by pervasive homohysteria. It was observed that their engagement with bodybuilding serves a dual purpose: firstly, to enhance the masculine presentation of their physique and foster increased self-assurance regarding their attraction to other gay men; and secondly, to secure protection from potential violence, particularly if their sexual orientation were to be revealed. Nevertheless, these individuals encountered significant psychological dissonance concerning the practice itself, a direct consequence of the environment's pervasive and extreme homophobia. Consequently, the domain of bodybuilding holds a multitude of contradictory interpretations and significances for the male participants who were questioned during this research.