Mapi León and Instagram: Lesbian visibility in football and on social networks

Abstract

In recent decades, social networks have emerged as fundamental tools in people's new ways of socialising. Concurrently, women's sport has experienced progressive growth in Spain, increasing the participation and visibility of women. Also in recent years, LGTBIQ+ visibility and activism have increased in Spain. One of the most visible sportswomen on social networks, who speaks openly about her sexual orientation, is the Spanish footballer María (Mapi) León. This study utilised netnography to analyse the impact of the player's Instagram profile (@marialeonn16), which boasts a following of 713 thousand, on her visibility and her role as a reference within the LGTBIQ+ community and society at large. Between August 2021 and July 2022, the seven publications of the footballer related to her sexual orientation and their corresponding (3,193) comments were analysed. In addition, a focus group was conducted with six key informants who met and followed the footballer. The results revealed a marked polarisation of responses, ranging from outright rejection to expressions of affection and admiration at the other extreme. These findings emphasise the significance of employing role models in the pursuit of visibility and acceptance of sexual diversity within both sport and society at large.