The impacts of discriminatory experiences on lesbian, gay and bisexual people in sport

Abstract

This study examines the nature and impact of sexist and homophobic discrimination experienced by lesbians, gays and bisexuals (LGB) in Australian sporting settings. A mixed methods online survey was utilised to collate participant experiences. The findings suggest that, in sport, participants experienced sexism directly and systemically, and homophobia explicitly and implicitly. Women experienced sexism and homophobia, whilst men reported more homophobic events. The most mentioned impacts of discrimination were negative emotions such as sadness, anger, distress and shame, followed by negative engagement with sport such as disliking sport, or avoiding or leaving sport. The well recognised benefits of sport such as physical and mental wellbeing, social connections, enjoyment, positive identity and achievement may be more difficult to realise within this context of significant social stress.

Sexual Orientation and Adolescent Time Use: How Sexual Minority Youth Spend Their Time

“…For example, structured exercising and sports often involve the idealization of hegemonic masculinity in ways that promote homo‐negative cultural climates (Brackenridge, Rivers, & Gough, ). As a result, there is a high prevalence of homophobic bullying in these settings, resulting in sexual minority youth feeling threatened and inadequate, and disliking, avoiding, or leaving sports (Symons, O'Sullivan, & Polman, ). Consistent with this, sexual minority adolescents are less physically active and less likely to participate in team sports than their heterosexual peers (Calzo et al., ; Mereish & Poteat, )—which may have flow‐on consequences on their health, development, and achievement.…”

Sports as a risk environment: Homophobia and bullying in a sample of gay and heterosexual men

“…Future studies could also use a more representative sample of the whole sexual minorities by involving women too, in order to analyze even differences of bullying between lesbians and gay men. In fact, the sport environment is even hostile toward lesbian athletes (Symons, O'Sullivan, & Polman, 2016); future research on lesbian athletes should include different variables, such as sexism (Pistella, Tanzilli, Ioverno, Lingiardi, & Baiocco, 2018), heterosexism (Szymanski et al, 2008) or the pressures and risks associated with "hegemonic femininity" (Krane, 2001; Roth & Basow, 2004), and should be further investigated in relation to the different ways in which they experience explicit homophobia compared to gay athletes in sports-related contexts (Griffin, 1993).…”

Sexuality, Sports-Related Mistreatment, and U.S. Adults’ Sports Involvement

“…Although sports involvement may enhance health, wellbeing, and social belonging, it can also lead to exclusionary, restrictive, and oppressive experiences. Critical sport and leisure studies seek to identify the contexts and means through which sport and leisure may reproduce or transform social inequalities; understanding the inclusivity of sports cultures, especially for people who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB), has been a particular concern (Allison & Knoester, 2020;Barbosa et al, 2020;Carter & Baliko, 2017;Elling-Machartski, 2017;Mock et al, 2019;Symons et al, 2017).…”