Work

Gender Fluidity Versus Homohysteria: How Young Chinese Male Fans Consume Athletic Bromance

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: This article investigates how young Chinese male fans interpret and engage with mediated athletic bromances, drawing from interviews with university students who follow sports games closely. The research uncovers complex dynamics wherein these fans contextually embrace and delegitimise the homoerotic aspects of mediated athletic bromances as they navigate their sports consumption. This phenomenon reflects the multifaceted experiences of young men in contemporary China, where the market and the party-state co-create a tapestry of overlapping, yet conflicting gender expectations. The findings illuminate the intricate relations between consumer culture and nationalist politics crafted in present-day China, as well as their specific manifestations within sports fandom.

Source: Men and Masculinities

DOI: 10.1177/1097184x241290809

Authors: Altman Yuzhu Peng, Fengshu Liu, Chunyan Wu

Institutions: University of Warwick, University of Oslo, Northeastern University London

Language: English

Topic: Sports, Gender, and Society

Subfield: Gender Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,450

Funder: British Academy