Offside: Nationalism, Gender Disparity, and the Performative Nature of Sports

The concept of nationalism is widely used in the context of politics. It is considered an essential component of national identity. The emotion behind nationalism is believed to foster unity among a nation’s population. It is also perceived to be inclusive, but it promotes temporary inclusivity. The idea of nationalism is generally associated with femininity. Nation is considered feminine by referring to it as “Mother India,” whereas the truth lies in the fact that nationalism has a masculine nature due to the prevalence of patriarchy. The 2006 Iranian film “Offside” depicts the idea of performativity of nationalism through sports and how nationalism reinforces gender disparity. Nationalism is related to maintaining cultural values in terms of gender roles and revolves around certain stereotypes, such as female-appearing people are expected to follow the social norms laid down for them, including not being involved in specific issues and spaces. 

The presence of fear and control by patriarchal society makes them follow the norms. Sports acts as a significant way through which nationalism is performed. For instance, Indian audiences get nationalistic feelings, especially when a Cricket match between India and Pakistan happens. The win or defeat of the teams is associated with national honour. If the team of a particular nation wins, it is celebrated as a moment of national pride. If the team loses, stereotypically, the male-appearing people break the TV sets because defeat is perceived as a matter of national shame. The film Offside represents that sports are associated with strength and should not involve women. In a scene in the movie AFAB (assigned female at birth), people are kept under the custody of male soldiers, and one of the women asks why women are not permitted to watch the match. The soldier responds by saying that spaces like football stadiums involve cursing and swearing, which is considered to be a masculine trait and is inappropriate for women to listen to. 

The scene also shows that women with masculine traits and appearance are only suitable for sports. The sports stream is gendered, as very little attention is given to women’s sports. Nationalism through the medium of sports is performative, as shown at the film’s beginning when people enter the stadium carrying Iran’s flag and sticking the flag stickers on their cheeks. The movie reflects that the girls of Iran resist the patriarchy by disguising themselves in the clothes of men as per the social norms to enter the stadium. One girl urges to use a washroom made for men. She does not think about the situation inside and the consequences of her act by using a men’s washroom. She later escapes the custody of the soldier but comes back after some time as she feels bad for the soldier who had escorted her to ensure her safety. The inclination to watch the match in the stadium by women is the theme of the film. 

One of the girls disguises herself as a soldier to watch the game but gets caught. The movie portrays the reinforcement of the gender binary but also shows women’s attempts to resist. One girl expresses her wish to join the army even though society would not support her. The victory of Iran in the match and qualification for the World Cup final is celebrated like a festival in the film. It shows that women are included in the celebration, which suggests that nationalism involves the temporary inclusion of women. Nationalism often includes women in a symbolic but not meaningful way. While women may join in celebrations of national pride, like sports wins or political events, their role is usually tied to traditional gender expectations. Nationalism highlights women as symbols of the nation’s culture and honour rather than recognizing them as equal contributors. In these moments, women are valued more for how they represent the nation, not for their actual involvement. This shows that nationalism often excludes women in practice, only involving them when it serves the nation’s image during times of unity or pride.

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