International Day of the Girl
Creating a positive social environment that intentionally fosters a sense of belonging is integral to the retention of girls in sport and physical activity. This resource is designed for coaches who are ready to intentionally support equitable sport. She Belongs offers practical recommendations to create social connection and better engage girls in the Learn to…
Creating welcoming, equitable spaces for new Canadians in sport
Sport can help to promote physical and mental health, build social connections and support integration into Canadian communities among newcomers to Canada. However, research shows that newcomers face unique barriers to sport participation, including cost, transportation, language, access to information, racism and religious or cultural considerations. In this article, newcomers in participant, parent, and coaching…
Gender inequality in coaching soccer
Recently there has been significant growth in participation rates from women playing football. Given that there has been increased participation, why is it that men still hold around 80% of coaching positions in the European Women’s Football league? This article explores the possible reasons and causes behind the lack of women coaching.
Safe sport for equity-deserving athletes
Research shows that demographic groups including athletes with disabilities and 2SLGBTQI+ athletes are disproportionately affected by maltreatment in sport. This is why researchers are advocating for more organizations to become educated on topics like racism, ableism and sexism in their sport, and incorporate them into Safe Sport initiatives.
Protecting the accessibility of school sport
The financial cost of sport participation is frequently cited as a barrier to access for low-income families in Canada. School sport is often the most accessible form of sport programming, however schools are increasingly adopting pay-to-play models that restrict access. Canadian researchers conducted a study to understand the extent to which school sport supports low-income…
Cultivating inclusive sport environments for 2SLGBTQ+ participants
The Rainbow Resource Centre has compiled a resource kit for sport organizations seeking to create inclusive and welcoming environments for 2SLGBTQ+ participants. Some of the recommendations include collaborating with 2SLGBTQ+ organizations, considering how language is used in your sporting space, and ensuring that employees are offered inclusivity training.
Diversity in sport
Sport policies and programs have placed increased emphasis on encouraging diversity within clubs and organizations over the last several years. Yet, change has been slow. In this article, researchers examine the mindsets at play underlying conscious or unconscious resistance to increased diversity in sport organizations, and include practical tips to address resistance.
Beyond food as fuel: Exploring women athletes’ relationship with food
Athletes’ relationship with food can be complicated. This is especially true for women in sport, who tend to have higher rates of disordered eating. The role of sport participation in athletes’ relationship with food is not straightforward. Some studies suggest that sport participation itself can make disordered eating more likely. Other research highlights the many…
Attitudes towards LGBTQ+ inclusion in Canadian figure skating
Sport has historically often been an unsafe space for LGBTQ+ athletes. Recent Canadian research sought to examine attitudes towards LGBTQ+ inclusion in figure skating, to assess whether these attitudes vary by gender, sexual identity, or level of participation in skating, and to examine the impact of contact with LGBTQ+ people on attitudes towards inclusion. Overall,…
Positive sport experiences of gay men
Sport participation has many benefits for one’s well-being. However, sport is not always a welcoming environment for LBGTQ+ people. Research consistently demonstrates that homophobia can be pervasive in sport contexts like gyms, arenas, and locker rooms (Anderson, 2017; Cleland, 2018; Frederick et al., 2022; Hartmann-Tews et al., 2021). In this blog, researchers from Brock University…