This article considers the gendered significance of women's participation in combat sports, with a specific focus on the performances of femininity by female combat athletes. Against lines of argument which posit that women's enactment of femininity is the result of restrictive, coercive, and ultimately conservative cultural pressures, respondents in two separate studies suggested that a purposeful, selective enactment of femininity, when understood in combination with their fighting ability, signified an important challenge to orthodox understandings of gender. As such, our data suggests that manoeuvring within normative cultural parameters of gender may, ironically, help to stimulate change in its structure of meanings, given that the feminine performances of these fighters ultimately posed symbolic challenges to cultural constructions of ('normal') women as inevitably weaker and inferior athletes compared to men. We therefore advocate that scholars with an interest in exploring the subversion of gender remain mindful of the possibility that such subversive impulses might occur via the appropriation, and re-signification, of some of its more orthodox norms.

Sport is a significant part of university life in the UK, where students may try new sports for the first time. Research also demonstrates links between sport participation and mental health and employment prospects. Despite the positive aspects of university sports, by mimicking wider sport practices, they may also be environments that exclude non-normative bodies, including those who are trans*. The experiences of trans* people in sport is still a limited research area, with existing studies suggesting a range of exclusionary practices are evident. However, it is currently unclear to what extent these practices are replicated in the university sport environment across institutions in the UK. As part of a broader study on LGBT+ inclusion in UK university sport, focus groups with student union officers and LGBT+ students were conducted, with one student identifying as trans*. Data derived from the trans* student, alongside the viewpoints of officers, suggests further action can be taken to ensure university sport is inclusive to all, particularly in regard to the reliance on wider binary gender structures in sport, which are also evident in the British Universities and Colleges Sport transgender policy. This research may be useful for student unions, university sport clubs and other bodies in control of sport provision to increase inclusion for all.

2 Homophobia and heterosexism: Spanish physical education teachers' perceptionsPhysical education is traditionally a heteronormative environment, despite current studies highlighting the existence of positive changes in sport towards sexual diversity. In Spain, physical education teachers' attitudes towards sexual minorities are an under-researched area. The current study identifies physical education teachers' perceptions towards homophobia and heterosexism in their lessons, raising questions as to whether societies are hostile or more tolerant in regards to gays and lesbians in sport. This experimental and cross-sectional descriptive research involved 170 Physical Education teachers from mixed schools, using a modified version of the original questionnaire of homophobia and heterosexism perceptions by Morrow and Gill (2003). Results show heterosexist and homophobic behavior is apparent in physical education lessons, with teachers aware of these behaviours. Furthermore, it is highlighted that students use homosexually-themed language as an instrument to discriminate against gays and lesbians. This language use is not common among teachers, although when it is present, it is clearer and more frequent amongst male teachers.

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