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…

Strategies for LGBTQ+ inclusivity in sport

LGBTQ+ youth often feel unsafe in sport environments. Coaches and sport leaders seeking to be inclusive need to recognize that participation alone doesn’t mean inclusion. Engaging in education and self-reflection, partnering with advocacy groups, recruiting and supporting LGBTQ+ individuals in leadership roles and evaluating the inclusivity of organizational policies are all ways that sport leaders…

Supporting the LGBTQ+ community in sports

Sports environments can be unwelcoming for LGBTQ+ youth. According to a national survey, 24.7% of LGBTQ+ youth reported avoiding athletic fields/facilities at school because they felt unsafe and 11.3% reported that they were discouraged from playing sports by faculty members. Promoting safe sports environments for LGBTQ+ youth has been shown to be beneficial for their…

Community sport for all

In 2021, the Government of Canada announced it would invest $80 million to support increased participation in organized community sport, particularly among underrepresented groups including Black, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQQIA+ and new Canadians. Careful planning is required to enhance these groups’ participation opportunities in community sport. Sport leaders can use strategic planning as an important tool for…

Show pride

Research shows that sexual minority youth are less likely to participate in organized sports than their heterosexual peers. Encouraging all sport participants to display the rainbow pride sign, for example, by using pride tape on their hockey sticks or baseball bats, can help LGBTQI2S youth feel included and welcomed in sport environments. 

Trans inclusion

Many transgender youth report feeling unsafe in sport environments. To create safe, welcoming and inclusive spaces for transgender youth in sport, best practices include using inclusive language and ensuring that coaches, volunteers and staff have opportunities to learn about trans issues. Learn more in the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport’s Creating Inclusive Environments for Trans Participants…

Inclusive sport for parents

Safe Sport is about optimizing the sport experience for everyone involved in sport. The focus is often on athletes, but parents can also have negative experiences in their children’s sport environments. Inclusive language, behaviours and program design can help youth sport organizations to create positive, inclusive spaces for LGBTQI2S parents and participants.

2021 year in review: How SIRC embraced the “new normal”

After 2020 surprised us all with a global pandemic, many of us looked to 2021 with hope for a gradual return to our pre-pandemic “normal.” And with the widespread rollout and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines across the country, the activities that we put on hold as the pandemic unfolded, from social gatherings to travel, began…

LGBTQI2S inclusion

Young adults who identify as LGBTQI2S are “game to play” sports, but frequently report experiences of discrimination and exclusion. Sport programs that are not based around biological sex or gender, but rather provide inclusive and affirming spaces that celebrate diversity, have strict zero-tolerance approaches to homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, and emphasize fun help to create…

Gender-neutral language

Using gender-neutral language throughout policies, procedures, and communications is one way for sport organizations to be more inclusive of LGBTQI2S people and communities. Phrases like, “he or she” or “both genders,” can easily be updated to “they/them/their” and “all genders” to become more inclusive.