Extraordinary body-self narratives: sport and physical activity in the lives of transgender people

Elling-Machartzki, Agnes

doi:10.1080/02614367.2015.1128474

Cited by 76 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…A recent qualitative study has demonstrated how the stage of transition is significant when understanding physical activity and sport engagement in transgender people. Elling-Machartzki (2015) found that, post-transition, transgender people felt less ashamed of their bodies and therefore more comfortable when engaging in physical activity and sport than they did pre-transition. However, the mean age of the participants in Elling-Machartzki's (2015) study was quite high (40.5 years, range 27-51) which may have affected the amount of physical Physical activity and sport in young transgender adults 6 activity participants engaged in as levels of physical activity have been found to decrease with age (e.g., British Heart Foundation, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Barriers and facilitators of physical activity and sport participation among young transgender adults who are medically transitioning

Jones

Arcelus

Bouman

et al. 2017

International Journal of Transgenderism

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Background: Transgender people (those who feel incongruence between the gender they were assigned at birth and their gender identity) engage in lower levels of physical activity compared to cisgender people (non-transgender). Several factors have been shown to affect physical activity engagement in the cisgender population however; the physical activity experiences of young transgender adults have not been explored. It was therefore the aim of the current study to understand what factors are associated with physical activity and sport engagement in young transgender adults who are medically transitioning. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 young transgender adults (18-36 years) who had initiated their medical transition at a transgender health service in the United Kingdom. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Two main themes were identified: (1) barriers and (2) facilitators to physical activity and sport. Overall, the young transgender adults were insufficiently active due to inadequate changing facilities, body dissatisfaction, fears surrounding 'passing' and not being accepted by others. At the same time, participants were motivated to engage in physical activity to increase their body satisfaction and gender congruence. However, participants felt there were a lack of safe and comfortable spaces to engage in physical activity and sport. Conclusion: Young transgender adults who are medically transitioning experience several barriers to physical activity and sport, despite being motivated to be physically active. Initiatives to facilitate young transgender adults to be able to put their motivations into practice (i.e. to be more physically active) are needed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Barriers and facilitators of physical activity and sport participation among young transgender adults who are medically transitioning

Jones

Arcelus

Bouman

et al. 2017

International Journal of Transgenderism

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Mainstream and organized sports activities are mostly experienced as unsafe spaces by transgender individuals, in which they face several distal and proximal stressors (Lucas-Carr and Caudwell, 2014;Elling-Machartzki, 2015;Hargie et al, 2017;Jones et al, 2017a;Semerjian, 2019). There is strong academic agreement that the changing room is one of the most challenging barriers: feelings of shame, body incongruence, body dissatisfaction, and fears of others' reactions-all resembling major internal proximal stressors-generate distal stressors, such as abjectification and stigma, negotiations of gender (non-) conformity, and discriminatory behavior (Semerjian and Cohen, 2006;Symons, 2010;Lucas-Carr and Krane, 2012;Smith et al, 2012a;Caudwell, 2014;Elling-Machartzki, 2015;Hargie et al, 2017;Jones et al, 2017a;Kulick et al, 2018;Semerjian, 2019). The locker room is perceived as the most challenging situation, "entrenched in cisgenderism and heteronormativity" (Semerjian, 2019, p. 154), but the entanglement of proximal and distal stressors generally leads to feelings of fear in public sporting spaces, which often impede sports engagement (Hargie et al, 2017).…”

Section: Transgender Athletes' Experiencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite the barriers outlined, transgender perspectives stress the positive consequences of sports participation. Being physically active and doing sports contribute to body awareness and satisfaction, gender (dis-)identification, and recognition and accentuation of body changes (Elling-Machartzki, 2015;Jones et al, 2017a;Semerjian, 2019). Positive effects from sports on mental well-being and social involvement in welcoming, safe, and comfortable sports settings strengthen transgender individuals' abilities to cope with challenges (Elling-Machartzki, 2015;Elling and Collot d'Escury, 2017).…”

Section: Transgender Athletes' Experiencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Being physically active and doing sports contribute to body awareness and satisfaction, gender (dis-)identification, and recognition and accentuation of body changes (Elling-Machartzki, 2015;Jones et al, 2017a;Semerjian, 2019). Positive effects from sports on mental well-being and social involvement in welcoming, safe, and comfortable sports settings strengthen transgender individuals' abilities to cope with challenges (Elling-Machartzki, 2015;Elling and Collot d'Escury, 2017). Several studies have identified safe spaces in sport, in which transgender athletes were accepted, socially supported by the team, and enabled to compete without rigid restrictions (Lucas-Carr and Krane, 2012, Travers andDeri, 2010;Elling and Collot d'Escury, 2017).…”

Section: Transgender Athletes' Experiencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Exclusionary mechanisms are based on the supposed incongruence of transgender individuals with the dominant assumption of sex binary and the sex-segregation in organized sports settings (Symons, 2010;Lucas-Carr and Krane, 2012;Elling and Collot d'Escury, 2017) and culminate in the "overall effects of being denied the social, health and well-being aspects of sport" (Hargie et al, 2017, p. 223). Elling-Machartzki (2015) emphasizes that traditional sports clubs appear to be particularly challenging sports settings due to the changing room situation and discriminatory policies for engaging in the competitive system.…”

Section: Transgender Athletes' Experiencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gender Identities in Organized Sports—Athletes' Experiences and Organizational Strategies of Inclusion

2020

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In relation to conceptualizing sports, beliefs about sex binary and male hegemony are dominant. To match these assumptions and provide level playing fields, sport systems are based on sex-segregation. Thus, people who do not fit into or reject fitting into sex categories are hindered from participating in sports, particularly organized sports. Studies on social exclusion of gender-identity minorities in sports mainly adopt a qualitative approach and focus on Anglophone countries. This research is the first to provide a comprehensive picture of the experiences of LGBT+ athletes in organized sports settings in Europe and is based on a quantitative online survey (n = 2,282). The current paper draws special attention to differences between cisgender and non-cisgender athletes (including transgender men, transgender women, non-binary, and non-identifying individuals). Besides athletes' experiences, organizational strategies of inclusion, derived from qualitative interviews with stakeholders from sport systems in five European countries (Germany, Scotland, Austria, Italy, and Hungary) are examined. Theoretically anchored in Cunningham's (2012) multilevel model for understanding the experiences of LGBT+ individuals and Meyer's (2003) minority stress model, the paper aims to (1) analyze the assessment of transnegativity and (2) examine negative experiences (prevalence, forms, perpetrators) of LGBT+ athletes from organized sport contexts in Europe; and (3) discuss inclusive strategies in sports organizations in Europe. Data reveal that transnegativity is perceived as a major problem in European sports, and non-cisgender athletes are the most vulnerable group, suffering particularly from structural discrimination. The implementation of inclusive strategies for non-cisgender athletes is perceived as a complex and essential task, but the sports organizations in the five countries differ substantially in terms of the status of implementation.

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Patient-Centered Approaches to Using BMI to Evaluate Gender-Affirming Surgery Eligibility

2023

AMA Journal of Ethics

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Body mass index (BMI) cutoffs are routinely used to assess eligibility for gender-affirming surgeries (GAS), yet they are not empirically based. The transgender population is disproportionately affected by overweight and obesity due to clinical and psychosocial influences on body size. Strict BMI requirements for GAS are likely to cause harm by delaying care or denying patients the benefits of GAS. A patient-centered approach to assessing GAS eligibility with respect to BMI would utilize reliable predictors of surgical outcomes specific to each gender-affirming surgery, include measures of body composition and body fat distribution rather than BMI alone, center on the patient's desired body size, and emphasize collaboration and support if the patient genuinely desires weight loss.The American Medical Association designates this journal-based CME activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ available through the AMA Ed Hub TM . Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Assessing EligibilityThe number of transgender patients seeking gender-affirming surgery (GAS) has dramatically increased in recent years. 1 Body mass index (BMI) cutoffs are routinely used to assess eligibility for GAS due to concerns about adverse surgical outcomes. 2,3,4 Results from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program revealed that the effect of BMI on surgical outcomes presents the greatest risk to patients with morbid obesity (BMI ≥ 40). Commonly cited concerns include increased risk of surgical site infection; cardiovascular risks, such as cardiac arrest and myocardial infarction; and pulmonary complications, such as pneumonia, reintubation, and prolonged ventilator support. 5,6 Risks associated with delaying or denying access to GAS are also salient. Genderaffirming medical interventions, including hormone therapy (HT) and GAS, are associated with improved quality of life and decreased levels of anxiety, depression, gender dysphoria, and suicidal ideation. 7,8,9 The eighth version of the World Professional Association of Transgender Health guidelines characterize GAS as "medically necessary" for some patients to alleviate gender dysphoria. 10 Thus, surgeons must consider not only

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Extraordinary body-self narratives: sport and physical activity in the lives of transgender people

Cited by 76 publications

References 37 publications

Barriers and facilitators of physical activity and sport participation among young transgender adults who are medically transitioning

Barriers and facilitators of physical activity and sport participation among young transgender adults who are medically transitioning

Gender Identities in Organized Sports—Athletes' Experiences and Organizational Strategies of Inclusion

Patient-Centered Approaches to Using BMI to Evaluate Gender-Affirming Surgery Eligibility

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