“Red Card to Violence Against Women”: Sexist Discourses on Women’s Football in YouTube Comments From Türkiye

Abstract

This study examines gender-based online harassment directed at female football players in Türkiye by analyzing 1,739 comments posted on YouTube following the inaugural official women’s football match between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray on December 7, 2021. Employing a qualitative netnographic methodology and thematic content analysis with MAXQDA, four primary themes were identified: (1) the devaluation of women’s football and the perpetuation of hegemonic masculinity, (2) online misogyny and gendered comparisons, (3) ironic sexism, and (4) supportive discourse and positive attitudes toward women’s football. While these findings reflect global patterns that undermine women’s sport, they indicate that in Türkiye such dynamics assume particular significance. Online misogyny and homophobic tropes intersect with entrenched patriarchal and institutional structures, producing a “double-whammy” effect that simultaneously marginalizes female athletes and reinforces broader cultural hierarchies. At the same time, supportive commentary demonstrates that digital platforms function as contested arenas in which patriarchal norms are both challenged and reproduced. This ambivalence highlights the tentative yet visible emergence of counter-narratives affirming women’s participation and equality in football. Overall, the study illustrates how global forms of gender-based online harassment acquire distinctive local meanings, positioning women’s football as a contested site for negotiating gender, modernity, and visibility in digital spaces.