Female Football Fans: Community, Identity And Sexism (palgrave Pivot)

Most sociological work on football fandom has focused on the experience of men, and it usually talks about alcohol, fighting and general hooliganism. This book shows that there are some unique facets of female experience and fascinating negotiations of identity within the male-dominated world of men's professional football. Most sociological work on football fandom has focused on the 'malestream', i.e. the experience of men, and it usually talks about socially 'deviant' behaviours, such as alcohol, fighting and general hooliganism. Yet there have always been female fans of football - even if they have been ignored or written out of the literature. This book shows that there are some unique facets of female experience, including a strong engagement with the new cooperative supporters' trust movement, and fascinating negotiations of identity within this male-dominated world. It draws upon in-depth responsive interviews to put together a broad picture of women's experiences of men's professional football in England "Most sociological work on football fandom has focused on the 'malestream', i.e. the experience of men, and it usually talks about socially 'deviant' behaviours, such as alcohol, fighting and general hooliganism. Yet there have always been female fans of football - even if they have been ignored or written out of the literature. This book shows that there are some unique facets of female experience, including a strong engagement with the new cooperative supporters' trust movement, and fascinating negotiations of identity within this male-dominated world. It draws upon in-depth responsive interviews to put together a broad picture of women's experiences of men's professional football in England."-- Provided by publisher Front Matter....Pages i-vii Introduction....Pages 1-9 Background to the Research....Pages 10-17 The Female Fan’s Relationships within Her Family and Fan Community from Childhood to Adulthood....Pages 18-52 Some Patterns of Female Fans’ Supporting Performances and Behaviour....Pages 53-79 Female Fans’ Experience of the Significance of the Supporters’ Trust Movement....Pages 80-93 The Perception of Female Football Fans’ Practices by Clubs and Authorities....Pages 94-104 Looking to the Future....Pages 105-111 Back Matter....Pages 112-136