THE PERFECT-10 - SPORTSPEAK IN THE LANGUAGE OF SEXUAL RELATIONS

This paper explores the use of the sports metaphor in the language of sexual relations. Data were collected from a questionnaire administere d to a select sample of 127 undergraduate students. The results indica ted widespread familiarity and use of this type of language, especiall y among males. Far from being innocuous, the use of the sports metapho r in this intimate area of life operates as a subtle, yet powerful com ponent of a larger cultural discourse that contributes to the social c onstruction of male hegemony in society. In particular, ''sportspeak'' in the language of sexual relations functions as a mechanism for tran sforming a human relations issue into a technical problem, for objecti fying women and for constructing notions of masculine hegemony and heg emonic masculinity.