Mariah Burton Nelson hypothesized that as women gain power in society, men

Mariah Burton Nelson hypothesized that as women gain power in society, men

• A. prefer more feminine sports such as gymnastics
• B. prefer less public sports
• C. prefer team sports
• D. prefer manly sports such as football

Answer: (D)

This question tests how gender power dynamics influence masculine identity and sport choices. Mariah Burton Nelson argued that as women gain influence in society, some men respond by leaning into activities that are culturally coded as masculine and publicly valorized. In sports, this shows up as a shift toward high-profile, physically intense, team-oriented games that embody masculine ideals. Football is a quintessential example: it is widely seen as a very masculine, public sport, with strong associations to toughness and competitive dominance. Opting for such sports signals an effort to reaffirm masculine identity in the face of shifting gender norms, which is why that option best fits the idea. The other choices describe sports that are less clearly tied to masculine prestige or public display, so they don’t align as closely with Nelson’s hypothesis.

This question tests how gender power dynamics influence masculine identity and sport choices. Mariah Burton Nelson argued that as women gain influence in society, some men respond by leaning into activities that are culturally coded as masculine and publicly valorized. In sports, this shows up as a shift toward high-profile, physically intense, team-oriented games that embody masculine ideals. Football is a quintessential example: it is widely seen as a very masculine, public sport, with strong associations to toughness and competitive dominance. Opting for such sports signals an effort to reaffirm masculine identity in the face of shifting gender norms, which is why that option best fits the idea. The other choices describe sports that are less clearly tied to masculine prestige or public display, so they don’t align as closely with Nelson’s hypothesis.