Cuerpos, feminidades y masculinidades en el deporte: Un abordaje sociocultural

Sports are not neutral activities, they transmit and reinforce meanings and values which differ from culture to culture. Sport may be considered a social institution, which means understanding that is a phenomenon involving individuals from a society, who have significant effects for determining conducts, motivations and meanings. The role of the body is essential for playing sport. Particular attention is given to the body among elite athletes, given that their bodies are often considered 'machines' in sport, and in their everyday lives too. The body moves, experiences and lives in sport. The body gets tired, the body hurts. The aim of this chapter is to explore the body and its characteristics in sport. Issues related to gender and sexuality have the capacity to influence sport practice, and therefore, they need to be analysed.