"It is what it is": masculinity, homosexuality, and inclusive discourse in mixed martial arts

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Channon, A. and Matthews, C.R. ORCID: 0000-0001-8561-2863, 2015. "It is what it is": masculinity, homosexuality, and inclusive discourse in mixed martial arts. Journal of Homosexuality, 62 (7), pp. 936-956. ISSN 0091-8369

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Official URL: http://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2015.1008280

Abstract

In this paper we make use of inclusive masculinity theory to explore online media representations of male homosexuality and masculinity within the increasingly popular combat sport of mixed martial arts MMA). Adopting a case-study approach, we discuss narratives constructed around one aspirational male MMA fighter, Dakota Cochrane, whose history of having participated in gay pornography became a major talking point on a number of MMA 'fanzine'/'community' websites during early 2012. While these narratives attempted to discursively 'rescue' Cochrane's supposedly threatened masculinity, highlighting both his 'true' heterosexuality and his prodigious fighting abilities, they also simultaneously celebrated the acceptance of homosexual men within the sport which Cochrane's case implied. Thus, we suggest that these media representations of homosexuality and masculinity within MMA are indicative of declining cultural homophobia and homohysteria, and an inclusive vision of masculinity, as previously described by proponents of inclusive masculinity theory.

Item Type:

Journal article

Publication Title:

Journal of Homosexuality

Creators:

Channon, A. and Matthews, C.R.

Publisher:

Taylor & Francis

Date:

2015

Volume:

Number: