Researchers: Light Fans Are Afraid of Fear

The stereotyped manner in which women's football fans often find themselves reflects the power robbers in society. Image: Antonio Calanni

The World Cup in Russia was not only marked by Swedish successes and dramatic punishments – but also by a debate on sexism.

Several women journalists, including TV4 Frida Nordstrand, were exposed to verbal or physical harassment in front of the camera during the championship.

In addition, the cameraman's tendency to zoom in on young and light women on the stands has led to a criticism of the production of female fans

. to be described as a new feature in football.

– I have already written a discussion article about this in EM 2004, so it's a phenomenon that comes and goes. It's not a coincidence that this happens in Russia given the strong patriarchal regime prevailing in the country, "says Jesper Fundberg, who studies gender and sport at the University of Malmö.

understand why proponents are produced in this way Fundberg believes that we must understand how sport represents a potential threat to the domination of heterosexual man in society.

Football has traditionally focused on men who consider bodies of other men Men who kiss and show emotions that contradict the image of the behavior of heterosexual men

By nature, football is not very hot, but rather very strange World Cup as a gay couple The images of disguised women can therefore be interpreted as a way of ensuring that men are in a heterosexual environment. In the cheerleaders, we show a kind of woman on the stands to remind men that "yes, they are the ones we are really going to throb."

Fundberg recalls an interview with Zlatan Ibrahimovic With the launch of Perfume, the question of how it thinks is that many men look at it and admire it. Ibrahimovic's answer was that he had never thought about it

– that's what I find so interesting. Zlatan is in a totally male environment where he works only with and towards other men. Not having to think about these issues is a sign of male privilege

Jesper Fundberg says that this can be considered another expression of the dominant order of the sexes. One of the most effective forms of power is when no one tells us how to behave, but when we do it voluntarily. The fact that some women say they chose to express themselves in this way is not opposed to a gender order but to a male order. It may be that the only way to be confirmed as a woman in this environment is to bet or dress in a certain way.

– If you want to see this from a more positive point of view, you can say that this one The type of objectification usually comes at a time when women are taking up more and more space in the society. Sexism suggests a rather frightened masculinity that feels that she has to defend herself.

– We absolutely do not claim that beautiful women are not real fans. But when these women are the only ones shown, an incorrect picture of reality is given, "said Amy Drucquer, project manager.

Although Drucquer believes that development is slowly moving in the right direction, she believes that football is still a few steps after the others.

– When I look for a woman doctor, lawyer or farmer, I receive images that are not at all sexualized in the same way as football supporters.