A STUDY of football fan message boards undertaken by Durham University has found that there are “highly sexist and openly misogynistic” attitudes towards women’s sport among male supporters.

Researchers attached to Durham University concluded the survey after getting 1,950 male football fans involved in a call for participants on 150 UK online forums.

After looking through the responses and the communications within the groups, the results showed that progressive views were “strongly represented” but “not as common as hostile and sexist attitudes”.

Read more: 150 jobs on Teesside at risk as major Billingham factory to close

The researchers that carried out the research have suggested that these attitudes show a backlash against the increased visibility of women’s sport, particularly since the 2012 London Olympic Games and the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

As a result, they have called for more coverage of women’s sport to “drive more gender equality and promote social justice”.

The study, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), was led by Durham University, with researchers at the University of Leicester and the University of South Australia also taking part.

The Northern Echo: The study found that while more rounded views existed in small patches, there was still views "reflective of a patriarchal society". The study found that while more rounded views existed in small patches, there was still views "reflective of a patriarchal society".

Lead author Dr Stacey Pope, from Durham University’s Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, has said that progress on making women’s sport more prominent has made “significant progress”.

However, she has also said that the increasing viewpoint was one reflective of a “patriarchal society”.

She said: “This is the first study to examine UK men football fans’ attitudes to women’s sport in an era in which women’s sport has experienced a significantly increased media profile.

Read more: Stanley family's tribute to adored 12-year-old Leah Robshaw

“Our research showed that attitudes towards women in sport are, to some extent, changing, with more progressive attitudes. However, the findings are also reflective of a patriarchal society in which misogyny is rife.

“There were numerous examples of men from across all generations exhibiting highly sexist and misogynistic attitudes.”

Based on answers to the questions in the survey, the fans could broadly be split into three groups who showed progressive masculinities, overt misogynistic masculinities, or covert misogynistic masculinities.

The Northern Echo: The study was carried out using 1,950 football fans and 150 supporter forums.The study was carried out using 1,950 football fans and 150 supporter forums.

Men with progressive attitudes showed strong support for equality in media coverage of women’s sport, with many saying that the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup had been a positive turning point in terms of representation of women’s sport.

However, the fans who held openly misogynistic attitudes towards women’s sport saw it as inferior to men’s sport, particularly about football, with some suggesting women should not participate in sport at all, or if they did, it should be in “feminine” sports, such as athletics.

There was also extreme hostility towards increasing media coverage of women’s sport, which was seen as “positive discrimination” or “PC nonsense”.

The final group of fans, who were in the minority, would express progressive attitudes in public but in more private moments reveal misogynistic views of women’s sport, adapting what they said depending on the social situation or who they were with.

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054