Steph Doehler, Senior Lecturer and Staff Tutor within #TeamOUSport, has recently published a new journal article in Communication & Sport. Her paper, titled ‘‘Your Analysis Is as Useless as Your Ovaries’: Women Football Fans’ Experiences on Social Media’ explores the experiences of women football fans on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Notably, this study is the first to extend Pope et al.’s (2022) Model of Men’s Performances of Masculinities, offering a new theoretical insight and refinement of the original framework.

This research makes an important contribution to the fields of sports fandom and sports communication, shedding light on the diverse interactions and coping mechanisms of women who engage in football-related discussions on social media. It underscores both the positive role of these platforms in fostering fan communities and the challenges women face, including gender stereotypes and discrimination in the male-dominated football space.

The findings raise critical questions about how to ensure the online safety of women sports fans. The study suggests that social media platforms must adopt stronger policies and technologies to combat gender-based harassment. Likewise, sports organisations and governing bodies should play a more active role in promoting safer digital environments for their supporters. Additionally, the research invites reflection on the role individual users – both men and women – can play in addressing sexist attitudes online. Tackling these issues will require collaborative efforts from policymakers, technology companies, sports organisations, and online communities to develop strategies for developing gender equality and creating inclusive online spaces for all sports fans.

Congratulations to Steph!