It’s Complicated: Negotiations and Complexities of Being a Lesbian in Sport

Forgotten and Left Behind

“…Those conclusions simultaneously close the proverbial open door on women not experiencing the kinds of benefits touted in the coverage. In particular, we found it telling that despite the breadth of coverage, which included myriad op-eds and lengthy retrospective pieces, reporters generally avoided sexual politics that remain an important part of the story of women in sports (Waldron, 2016). Profiles of famous gay athletes, for instance, gloss over or ignore their sexuality altogether.…”

“…Indeed, not all girls and women are publicly praised for their sports participation; rather, the benefits of visibility and celebration of accomplishment are bestowed only on those individuals who meet a culturally sanctioned vision of female athleticism, in which Whiteness and heterosexuality are privileged (Cooky, 2012; Cooky, Wachs, Messner, & Dworkin, 2010; McDonald, 2002). Girls and women who fall outside this narrow aesthetic are simultaneously ignored while issues related to these groups, including overt and more subtle forms of discrimination, are not prioritized (e.g., Cooky et al, 2010; Norman, 2012; Pickett et al, 2012; Waldron, 2016).…”

Bodies Matter: Professional Bodies and Embodiment in Institutional Sport Contexts

“…Much of this research focuses on how athletes who identify as gay, lesbian, transgender, or nonbinary cope with heteronormativity (see, for example, Anderson, 2011; Caudwell, 2011, 2014; Hargreaves & Anderson, 2015; Waldron, 2016). Compared with this body of research, the embodiment of heteronormativity circulating among those working in sport organizations has been underresearched.…”

“…Beyond the sensations and feelings that can be unpacked through a phenomenological approach, a significant body of research has focused on the intersection of gender and sexuality as a very important determinant in shaping the construction of sport. Much of this research focuses on how athletes who identify as gay, lesbian, transgender, or nonbinary cope with heteronormativity (see, for example, Anderson, 2011 ; Caudwell, 2011 , 2014 ; Hargreaves & Anderson, 2015 ; Waldron, 2016 ). Compared with this body of research, the embodiment of heteronormativity circulating among those working in sport organizations has been underresearched.…”

Sport and the LGBTIQ+ Community: A South Australian Study

“…However, this needs to be led by social, cultural and legislative processes ( Piedra et al, 2017 ), especially as homohysteria can be part of organizational or institutional culture, such as sport ( Anderson and Bullingham, 2015 ). Indeed, findings from various international studies in lesbian, gay and bisexual people in sport show that there are still prevalent issues of homophobia, homohysteria, discrimination, abuse, bullying, othering, stigmatizing and silencing against LGBTIQ+ players, parents, coaches and the wider LGBTIQ+ community in sporting environments ( Mattey et al, 2014 ; Denison and Kitchen, 2015 ; Lee and Cunningham, 2016 ; Waldron, 2016 ; Piedra et al, 2017 ; Symons et al, 2017 ; Petty and Trussell, 2018 ; Trussell et al, 2018 ). In relation to sporting organizations, Waldron (2016) states:…”