Abstract - The limits of the boxing ring: Respect for sexual diversity in combat vs. non-combat sports in Spain
Background. Tolerance towards sexual diversity is a key topic for contemporary research among sport studies scholars. This builds on decades of research which has consistently shown sports – and in particular, those with strong links to traditional ideals of masculinity – to be areas where gender and sexual minorities are excluded.
Problem and aim. This paper aims to analyse attitudes towards sexual diversity among sportspeople in Spain, specifically investigating possible differences between practitioners of combat sports versus those practising other sports.
Material and methods. The present study followed a transversal and descriptive design, where a survey technique was used to collect data on a sample consisting of 766 athletes (516 men and 250 women). The survey employed was the Attitudes towards Sexual Diversity in Sport scale, which measures levels of rejection of sexual diversity in sport, allowing for comparative analyses across populations.
Results. Statistical analysis revealed that attitudes towards sexual diversity differed significantly according to age, sex, and participation in combat sports versus other sporting disciplines. Specifically, the highest degrees of rejection of sexual diversity are observed among males, people under 22 years of age, and sportspeople who do not practice combat sports.
Conclusions. It appears that more open-minded and tolerant attitudes exist among combat sports practitioners than those of other sports, which contrasts with social stereotypes which suggest these sports are bastions of orthodox masculinity, homophobia, and exclusion. Further research into why this is the case is advocated, particularly given the observation that such tolerance is less well pronounced among younger sportspeople and males in particular.