The Sexual and Gender Politics of Sport Mega-Events : Roving Colonialism

This challenging new study examines gender and sexuality in relation to race and colonialism in sport. Focusing on six case studies (the Vancouver Olympics, London Olympics, Sochi Olympics, Rio World Cup and Olympics, Israeli gay sport and Egyptian soccer ultras), the book addresses racism and colonialism within gay and lesbian politics in sport. It also investigates ‘homonationalism’ in sport, where the inclusion of gays and lesbians is closely aligned to the interests of the colonial nation-states. Most importantly, this study offers a counter-narrative to the view that gay and lesbian inclusion in global sporting events necessarily promotes global peace and international development.

This challenging new study examines gender and sexuality in relation to the ‘roving colonialism’ of sport mega-events. Built around four case studies in postcolonial and settler colonial contexts—the Olympics in Vancouver, London and Sochi and soccer fans in the Egyptian revolution—the book examines sporting ''homonationalism'' and anti-colonial resistance.

The first part discusses different moments of ‘homonationalism’ in sport. The second part explores how indigenous and anti-colonial protests against mega-sport events lead to different views about gender and sexuality politics in sport. It offers a critical counter-narrative to the view that gay and lesbian inclusion in global sporting events is simply a matter of universal human rights. The book calls for LGBT social movements in sport to move away from complicity with neoliberalism, nationalism and colonial-racial logics, particularly Islamophobia, toward a decolonial politics of solidarity.

Theoretically sophisticated and empirically grounded, this book draws together important threads in the contemporary study of sport to illuminate the relationship between sport and wider society. It will be fascinating reading for any student or researcher interested in the sociology of sport, Olympic studies, gender and sexuality studies, postcolonial studies, indigenous studies, settler colonial studies or the politics of race and inclusion.