Fetuao's Dilemma: Negotiating Gender and Sexuality in the Hypermasculine World of Rugby

Abstract

Collegiate athletics is a rich site for the negotiation of identity and difference, rife with potentially difficult interactions in myriad relationships between athletes and other athletes, coaches, administrators, and many others, all in a pervasive social environment of hegemonic masculinity. This case study follows the story of Fetuao Tafolo, a transgender Tongan rugby player, as he contemplates transitioning from male to female. More specifically, it highlights the challenges and complexities of his decision and its potential consequences on his relational network, including the relationships to his girlfriend, family, teammates, coach, and the university, and his own personal and professional future.