Framing With Family: Examining Online Coaches’ Biographies for Heteronormative and Heterosexist Narratives

Abstract

Sport scholars have connected heteronormativity and heterosexism to the creation of privilege for the dominant group. They also contend that the coverage and framing of female athletes and coaches promote heteronormativity across print, broadcast, and new media. To date, research examining heteronormativity and heterosexism on university-sponsored athletics Web sites is scarce. Using framing theory, online biographies of NCAA intercollegiate head coaches of 12 conferences (N = 1,902) were examined for textual representations of heteronormativity and heterosexism. Biographies were coded based on the presence or absence of personal text—and the presence or absence of family narratives. The data demonstrate a near absence of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered coaches, suggesting that digital content of intercollegiate athletic department Web sites reproduces dominant gender ideologies and is plagued by homophobia in overt and subtle ways.

Openly lesbian team sport athletes in an era of decreasing homohysteria

“…The existence of homohysteria among women in sport does more than just marginalize lesbian athletes however, it also re/produces heteronormativity, invoking a societal hierarchy that privileges heterosexuality (Calhoun et al, 2011). Sykes (1998) explains that the fear of 6 lesbianization in women's sport facilitates the silencing of homosexuality in sport, permitting heterosexuality to remain unchallenged; and Hargreaves (1994: 194) shows that media portrayal of female athletes reinforces an image of heterosexuality, stating that "sexualized images" are used with supporting statements about femininity and marital status.…”

The Glass Closet: Perceptions of Homosexuality in Intercollegiate Sport

“…The same number of coaches, one, listed their marital status as engaged or widowed (see Tables 2 and 3). One is actually less than the number found by Calhoun et al (2011), as they found two coaches listed a same-sex partner.…”

“…Further, as states continue to legalize same-sex marriages and unions, it will be worthwhile to examine if the lack of partners in coaching biographies continues. While the number of coaches listing same-sex partners actually decreased from the previous study of biographies (Calhoun et al, 2011), one may expect the number to increase if homosexuality continues to become more socially acceptable nationwide. In all, the avenues for future research are plentiful.…”

“…Averill has had a widely successful career leading Wake Forest to three consecutive national titles (2002)(2003)(2004) and nine straight semifinal appearances (2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008) in field hockey. In the Calhoun et al (2011) study, Averill and a male softball coach were the only two that listed a same-sex partner (as of the end of 2013, the softball coach is now an assistant at a different institution). Averill is a coach in a low-profile sport and has been highly successful.…”

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A mixed-methods approach was used to examine the perceptions and prevalence of open homosexuality in intercollegiate sport in the United States. Universityhosted biographies of NCAA Bowl Championship Series (BCS) head coaches were coded to determine the frequency of head coaches listing a wife, husband, and same-sex partner (Calhoun, LaVoi, & Johnson, 2011). These findings were paired with interviews of five college coaches exploring their feelings toward the culture surrounding homosexuality, by players, coaches, and administrators, at their university.

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