One of the realities that exists in the world of sports is that it is often assumed that football is a male-dominated territory and that a football fan is a man who passionately supports a team. This fandom is often inherited from their fathers. However, there are also women who are football fans, but even in academic research on football, they have been less focused on; because the main focus of academic studies has always been on the experiences of men in this game.

By reading the book “Rectangular Gender: A Study on Women Football Fans”, we find out that what revolves around football is solely about men and female fans are usually ignored, and the majority of people imagine football as a completely masculine domain. Among female football fans, unique and distinctive aspects are noticeable. In addition to family, living environment, and place of birth, the determining factor for women to choose their favorite team is their identity. Loyalty and dedication to football are the most important part of this identity.

Another issue is that there is no will to eliminate sexism among football fans and officials, but in recent decades, despite the widespread presence of women among spectators, ignoring them and neglecting them economically is not acceptable. For this reason, families and women have been prioritized in the marketing of some football clubs. However, what should be given more attention is the recognition of women’s right to participate in this sport, because female fans, players, and managers are just as passionate about football and their role in it as any man.

“Kerry Dunn” is one of the few researchers who has focused on the relationship between women and football in his book. According to him, football is a gendered institution and not very welcoming to women. Based on the stories of female football fans in England, he tries to find answers to questions such as why women are fans of this sport and what ways have made them more accepted in this “male-dominated territory”. The author has been researching and teaching for over fifteen years in various fields such as feminism, popular culture, women’s football around the world, the history of women’s sports, and sports fandom. Other works by this author include “Spandex”, “Roar of the Lionesses: Women’s Football in England”, and “Pride of the Lionesses”.

The author talks about the book: I have tried to examine and understand the experiences of different generations of female football fans. The norm is that fan groups are male-dominated; it is the right of men to go to stadiums; their fan groups are also a representation of their values. Most of these groups are made up of working-class men who behave like a particular society or “tribe” and have their own specific customs and rituals. They may only chant and sing or resort to violence. Women’s participation in football fan groups has largely been ignored or even excluded in these studies. This is despite recent research confirming that male fan groups have changed significantly since the mid-1980s.

Kerry Dunn has written her book in seven chapters and in the first person, and in it she talks about her experiences as a girl who enjoyed football and going to the stadium since her teenage years, and of course faced gender stereotypes. She expresses her motivation for writing the book at the beginning and then portrays her life during her time as a football fan. She also talks about the history of women’s involvement in football fandom and uses quotes from various sources throughout the book. She has made an effort to gather information through different questionnaires and interviews, such as how passionate women are about football, whether they are also shareholders in clubs, how often they attend matches, and other related information. She then discusses the relationship between female football fans and their families and other fans, and later talks about the patterns of behavior and actions of women in supporting their favorite clubs. She writes about the experiences of different women she encountered during her research and talks about their experiences with the fan movement. In the sixth chapter of

In a section of the book, we read:

Traditionally, it has been believed that men are the ones who are fans of football and they pass on their love for the sport to their sons. It is not considered possible for the tradition of being a fan to be passed down from a father to a daughter or from a mother to a son, and even the possibility of a daughter learning to be a fan of football from her mother is not taken into account. The responses I have received in interviews show that if we consider the family’s history of being fans, their place of residence, and their place of birth, we can also see traces of their identity in their choice of football team. They enter the “football subculture” through a “special other” and their fan groups are also strengthened through the expansion of social networks. Now, it is not just about being born or living in a specific city, but also having a special understanding of a common background is important.

The Rectangular Book of Gender Studies: A Thought-Provoking Research with Topics that Make Everyone Ponder; “The Type of Relationship between Female Football Fans and Their Families and Other Fans in Childhood and Adulthood”, “Some Patterns of Behavior and Performance of Female Fans in Supporting Clubs”, “The Experience of Female Fans in the Importance of the Fan Foundation Movement” and “Perception of Clubs and Officials on the Activities of Female Football Fans” are among the subjects that have been addressed in the chapters of this research work.

Book Title: “The Gendered Rectangle: A Study on Female Football Fans”

Author: Kari Dan

Translator: Atieh Hosseinzadeh

Publisher: Good Publications

Publication Year: 1399