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 in Canadian Sport resource.
Use double quotes to find documents that include the exact phrase: "aerodynamic AND testing"
Use double quotes to find documents that include the exact phrase: "aerodynamic AND testing"
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.
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 to make a comeback.
Look no further than the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which brought together nearly 15,000 athletes in the summer of 2021, for an example of how the sporting world has learned to adapt and thrive in the age of COVID-19. The Government of Canada also committed $170 million in funding to support the recovery of the sport sector in its 2021 Budget, further reinforcing sport’s crucial role in our country’s broader social and economic recovery.
And while we continue to face challenges, from new COVID-19 variants to climate disasters, SIRC continues to provide credible, responsive and relevant content to meet the needs of the Canadian sport sector. For a closer look at how SIRC embraced the “new normal” in 2021, cruise through our top content in SIRC’s 2021 year in review.
January
The 2021 Winter SIRCuit put a spotlight on Masters Athletes, an important call to action for creating better sport experiences for adults that are “beyond the typical age of peak performance.” Masters Athletes (Mas) can often be an after-thought in sport organizations, but this article speaks to the tremendous opportunity and value in reversing that trend.
February
SIRC produced an important blog in collaboration with the BIPOC Varsity Association at the University of Toronto: Tackling racism on campus. It includes an innovative approach to combatting racism within universities and colleges.
February also featured SIRC’s 2021 Concussion in Sport Symposium. The symposium focused on key research topics emerging in the concussion field, such as sex- and gender-related differences in concussions. It also featured key leaders in sport, such as Canadian Men’s National Team Head Coach, John Herdman.
March
SIRC launched Mom’s Got Game, an awareness campaign supporting and celebrating moms’ participation in sport and physical activity. In collaboration with Bell Media and other partners, we brought attention to the latest research and evidence. We also called on moms to share their stories of success and challenges, and the results were inspiring.
April
SIRC’s webinars continued into April, with a new mini-series focused on program evaluation skills. The accompanying resource helps sport organizations with all aspects of evaluation, from start to finish: Toolkit: Mastering the Art of Evaluation.
The spring 2021 SIRCuit was published, including an important article focused on addressing climate change in the Canadian sport sector.
May
On International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT)—a worldwide celebration of sexual and gender diversities marked annually on May 17th—SIRC published an educational piece in collaboration with Egale Canada.
June
In June, SIRC published a unique blog diving into a new model of co-participation for women and girls in sport called “Swim Together.” The program was developed in collaboration between University of Waterloo researchers, the Township of Woolwich, Ontario, and the Woolwich Wave Swim Team.
July
The Tokyo Olympics was one of Team Canada’s most successful Summer Games ever. Our country’s 24 medals were good for 11th overall and was the second-highest total in Canada’s history at the Summer Olympics.
SIRC published a Special Edition SIRCuit in the lead-up to the Tokyo Games, including four articles that showcase Canadian leadership at the highest level of sport with regards to safe sport and concussion. The spirit of Canadian athletes shines through this article, Can you hear me now? The emergence of the athlete voice in Canadian Sport.
August
Canada’s Paralympic Team put in a strong effort at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, earning 21 total medals and five golds, and again the leadership of Canada’s Paralympians shone through.
From the para-sport community, Stephanie Dixon, Chef de Mission for Canada’s 2020 Paralympic Team is featured in this SIRC article: Performing in a Pandemic: The Resilience and Leadership of Canadian Athletes.
September
Canada’s inaugural Concussion Awareness Week took place September 26 – October, 2021. To help the week gain momentum across Canada, SIRC published a concussion themed SIRCuit that same week. These were five articles diving into the latest advances of concussion safety in Canadian sport. The article that’s resonated the most has been Concussion in Para athletes: One size doesn’t fit all, featuring Dr. Jamie Kissick who speaks to the gaps in para-sport concussion research as well as the work that’s being done to address it.
October
The 15th annual Sport Canada Research Initiative (SCRI) Conference brought together more than 1,000 stakeholders in Canadian sport virtually to hear from Canada’s leaders and researchers on the latest research and innovations in Canadian sport.
All the key sessions are available on SIRC’s YouTube page, including a panel titled Truth and recognition: what this means for sport leaders.
November
To help support and advance gender equity in Canadian sport, SIRC partnered with Canadian Women & Sport to create a series of webinars titled Engaging Girls and Women in Sport Mini Series. Part 3 of the series – Engaging Black Community Coaches – takes place in Feb. 2022!
December
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, mothers continue to be put under pressure. Following the Mom’s Got Game campaign in the spring, SIRC published another new article focused on supporting moms in December, titled “Playing for team motherhood”: Returning to team sport after childbirth. Stay tuned for more content to support moms in the spring of 2022!
Thank you to everyone who collaborated, partnered, and contributed to SIRC in 2021! And a special shout-out to SIRC’s readers, viewers, and participants. Your participation and support are crucial to SIRC’s network and the knowledge-to-action process. We’re excited to welcome you back to SIRC’s channels in 2022!
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 positive sport experiences for LGBTQI2S participants.
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.
The Operationalizing Intersectionality (OI) Framework provides guidance for putting intersectional approaches into practice. Visualized as a wheel, the OI Framework identifies four points of traction: (1) Learning, (2) Harm Reduction, (3) Accountability & Transparency, and (4) Transformation. Learn about how you can apply these concepts to improve programs, policies, and spaces in the SIRC blog.
The effects of COVID-19 are significantly impacting the physical and mental health of the LGBTQI2S community. For sport organizations, participating in LGBTQI2S inclusive training opportunities, using gender-neutral language in policies and communications, and creating sanctions for anti-LGBTQI2S behaviour are just a few ways to be more inclusive of LGBTQI2S people and communities both now and when we return to sport.
Sport communities across Canada and the world have experienced a year like no other. Lockdown and isolation have left all of us eager to begin playing and training again. Now, more than ever, we understand how sport serves as a tool to bring communities together to support physical and mental health outcomes (Eime et al., 2013). Across 2SLGBTQI (Two Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, and Intersex) communities, there is an unfortunate history of being excluded from participating in sport, which has resulted in disproportionately negative health outcomes (Hargie et al., 2017). It has, however, provided potential ideas on how we can move sport forward together.
This International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT)—a worldwide celebration of sexual and gender diversities marked annually on May 17th—encourages us to recognize, take action on, and end the discrimination faced by 2SLGBTQI people and communities. The global theme for this year’s IDAHOBIT is “Together: Resisting, Supporting, Healing!”. For Egale, this means intentionally prioritizing community and the incredible benefits that are created and felt when we come together to resist hatred and bias, support one another, and heal our hearts and minds.
On days like IDAHOBIT, Egale challenges everyone to take action to be more inclusive of 2SLGBTQI people and communities both now and as we return to sport. Implementing the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) acts as a crucial first step for sport organizations to create safer and more welcoming sport environments that are inclusive of 2SLGBTQI people and communities. The work continues below in the form of shareable and engaging ways to build inclusion in sport and in your community, on IDAHOBIT and every day.
IDAHOBIT: 5 Steps to 2SLGBTQI Inclusion in Sport
1. Educate yourself and others about the challenges faced by 2SLGBTQI people in sport, and in your community. Check out some of these resources to get started:
2. Consider language. Does your organization use gender-neutral language throughout its policies, procedures, and communications? Phrases like, “he or she” or “both genders,” can easily be updated to “they/them/their” and “all genders” to become more inclusive. It may seem like a small action, but it can make a world of difference. Here are some inclusive and affirming language tips to help you shift your language. This Pronoun Usage Guide can also help with being inclusive and respectful of gender diversity.
3. Practice 2SLGBTQI-allyship with your athletes, colleagues, and partners, as well as beyond the world of sport with friends and family. Have some fun with your next workout and complete the 2SLGBTQI Movement Routine, or challenge a friend! Not in the mood to sweat? You can also catch up on an episode of In Your Corner, an Egale virtual series hosted by Canadian Olympic Insider, Mark Tewskbury. In Your Corner explores inclusion in sport and the effects of COVID-19 on sport communities with Canadian Olympians and athletes, sports organizers, and special community guests.
4. Review the state of 2SLGBTQI sports inclusion in Canada and develop policy that protects the unique experiences of the 2SLGBTQI communities, ensuring safety, accessibility, and inclusion in sport programming from little leagues to the podium. Start today with these resources:
- Sports Inclusion in Canada, Literature Review (Egale)
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- Future directions and recommendations for sport organizations, academic leaders, and the federal government are available on page 19.
- Creating Inclusive Environments for Trans Participants in Canadian Sport (Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport)
- See page 14 for a great summary of best practices!
5. Consider donating your time, talent, and digital space to organizations that promote 2SLGBTQI inclusion in sport.
Each one of these steps can contribute toward the advancement of the Safe Sport Movement in Canada—a movement that must prioritize the safety of all 2SLGBTQI people and communities. Help us build kinder, more inclusive sport spaces and communities and together we can ensure sport environments treat everyone as equal, not other.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “inclusion” is the action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure. True inclusion involves authentic and empowered participation and a true sense of belonging for all participants. However, if we want to be successful with inclusion, we must intentionally plan for it – if we are not specific and clear about how we create inclusion in sport spaces and places, we will continue to fail those on the margins.
During a keynote session at the 2020 Canadian Sport for Life Summit, I facilitated a discussion about participant-centered approaches to inclusion. More than 400 sport, recreation, education and health leaders worked to define core principles of inclusion, and how they could be integrated into policy and practice within their organizations. This article shares the highlights from that conversation and provides examples of how organizations are bringing the principles to life.
Principle 1 – Respect is a deep admiration for someone’s abilities, qualities, or achievements; and would be lived by appreciating everyone’s unique journey and lived experiences.
The Hijabi Ballers project, based in the Greater Toronto Area, seeks to recognize and celebrate the athleticism of Muslim girls and women, and increase their participation in sport spaces and programs around the city. The name Hijabi Ballers represents three things: being a female of Muslim faith, being an athlete, and being a boss. The project is meant to shine a light on those who visibly represent their faith, while portraying themselves as athletes. The word “baller,” an umbrella term for all athletes, holds a strong connotation of being a boss, being successful, and being bold.
Principle 2 – Dignity is the right of a person to be valued and respected for their own sake, and to be treated ethically; and would be lived by meeting participants at the place they are at so they can engage in different ways and levels.
Skate Canada’s Trans Inclusion Policy, developed with input from members of the LGBTQI2S community and inclusive sports advocates, was designed to ensure athletes have the right to participate in a sport they love free from discrimination and exclusionary regulations. In competitions under Skate Canada jurisdiction, athletes can participate in the gender category with which they identify, which allows for dignity in the choice of how athletes show up. All identifications of gender identity by athletes are believed to be made in good faith and do not require further disclosure or documentation.
Principle 3 – Openness is receptivity to new ideas and new experiences; and would be lived by sharing and honoring our cultural experiences, and giving participants a seat at the table to lead the design, implementation and evaluation of sport and recreation programs.
Through the North Preston Surf Program, the Surfing Association of Nova Scotia and Blxckhouse are working together to create a program for youth of African descent. North Preston is the oldest and largest indigenous Black community in Canada. Despite its proximity to Lawrencetown – the birthplace of Canadian surfing – few people of African descent in Nova Scotia surf. There are far-reaching historical and social reasons for this, and the purpose of this program is to collaborate with the community to remove the barriers to this experience.
Principle 4 – Allyship is when a person of privilege seeks to work in solidarity with a marginalized person or group; and would be lived by investing our abilities, compassion and heart in developing new relationships.
The Canadian Olympic Committee’s One Team initiative was created to fight gender-based discrimination, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and any other type of discrimination in sport. The #BeYou and #OneTeam campaigns have included a presence at Pride parade events and have celebrated athletes who identify as LGBTQI2S for their accomplishments and for living their identity.
Principle 5 – Compassion is concern for the challenges faced by others; and would be lived by leading by example.
Free Footie is a free after school sports club delivered in partnership with highly vulnerable schools in Edmonton, AB. Most of the 4,000 kids reached each year are refugees, newcomers or Indigenous youth who cannot afford the typical “pay to play” model or face other barriers to participation. Free Footie was designed to close the gaps – equipment and registration are free, transportation is organized and paid for, and participants are picked up from their school right after class. Through play, the program surrounds kids with role models and teaches them leadership, respect and commitment. Partner schools see participants improving their grades, behaving well, and attending classes so they get to take part in the fun at the end of the day.
Principle 6 – Safe is a positive space that promotes consent-based participation and supports all participants’ physical, emotional and social development and wellbeing. It is free from abuse, misconduct, bullying, harassment and hazing, and requires that all participants are treated with dignity. Safe would be lived by examining the different needs of people in sport and recreation spaces and places. This will ensure we can better plan to support the diverse people who are part of our programs, and those who deserve to be included but haven’t been planned for properly yet.
As part of their plan to create an inclusive workplace culture where staff feel safe bringing their authentic selves to work, the Canadian Paralympic Committee invested in training for staff and board members about LGBTQI2S Inclusion. The training was delivered by Canadian Women & Sport, and included a Paralympic athlete who is openly gay who shared her lived experience. The training laid the foundation for two staff to self-identify as gay and host internal staff “lunch and learn” dialogues.
As we think about what people need to be successful in our programs, it is an opportunity to rethink how we structure our organizations, our programs, our roles…and indeed the broader sport and recreation system. The above examples can inspire our work and provide promising practices to guide our intentions. Being intentional about inclusion requires us to make room for more voices at the table, to listen, to learn, and to consider what type of system we could create if we built from people, rather than from budget, funders or mandates.
As Canada continues to adapt to new ways of connecting while practicing physical isolation, we must not forget the importance of days like the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB), a worldwide celebration of sexual and gender diversities marked annually on May 17th. Now, more than ever, we must be vigilant in ending discrimination towards LGBTQI2S people.
The global theme for this year’s IDAHOTB is “Breaking the Silence”. For Egale, this means taking up space by making LGBTQI2S voices and stories louder and prouder. As the world continues to experience the impacts of COVID-19, let us come together in hope and solidarity so that everyone is invited back to the sports we have all come to enjoy.
According to a recent survey on the Impacts of COVID-19 on LGBTQI2S People led by Egale and Innovative Research Group, LGBTQI2S people have significant concerns regarding their physical and mental health. Amongst respondents, 40% expect their physical health to decline in the coming month. This finding becomes even more compelling as rates of participation in sport for LGBTQI2S people are generally low to begin with due to physical, structural and social factors (Demers, 2017; Doull et al, 2018). While many Canadians are gearing up to get active during quarantine, the LGBTQI2S community continues to face greater barriers than ever before. IDAHOTB is a reminder of the importance of inclusion – we all have a duty to uphold the right to participate in sport and to “break the silence” as we rally together to end homophobia, transphobia and biphobia.
On IDAHOTB, Egale is challenging everyone to take action to be more inclusive of LGBTQI2S people both on and off the field. As COVID-19 highlights the need to include LGBTQI2S people in sport, it is up to all of us to determine how we respond. Below, are shareable and engaging ways to build inclusion in sport, on IDAHOTB and every day.
5 Steps to LGBTQI2S Inclusion in Sport
1. Educate yourself and others about the challenges faced by LGBTQI2S people in sport, and in your community. Complete Egale’s online e-module, LGBTQI2S Inclusion Fundamentals, or check out some of these other resources:
- Impact of COVID-19: Canada’s LGBTQI2S Community in Focus (Egale)
- LGBTQI2S inclusion Workshops and Training (Egale)
- Sex and Gender Diversity (Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport)
- Leading the Way: Working with LGBTQ Athletes and Coaches (Canadian Women & Sport)
2. Consider language. Does your organization use gender-neutral language throughout their policies, procedures and communications? Phrases like, “he or she” or “both genders”, can easily be updated to “they/them/their” and “all genders” to become more inclusive. It may seem like a small action, but can make the world of a difference. Here are some Inclusive and Affirming Language Tips to help you shift your language.
3. Practice LGBTQI2S allyship with your athletes, colleagues and partners, as well as beyond the world of sport with friends and family. Have some fun with your next workout and complete the LGBTQI2S Movement Routine, or challenge a friend!
4. Review and develop policies that include the unique experiences of the LGBTQI2S community, ensuring safety, accessibility and inclusion in sport programming from little leagues to the podium. Start today with the resources below:
- LGBTQI2S Sports Inclusion Toolkit and Checklist (Egale)
- Creating Inclusive Environments for Trans Participants in Canadian Sport (Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport) – see page 14 for a great summary of best practices!
5. Consider donating your time, talent and digital space to organizations that work towards LGBTQI2S inclusion in sport.
Using COVID-19 restrictions as an opportunity to reimagine the “new normal,” let’s dream of what might be possible when we come together again. With a commitment to all, a few, or even one of the actions listed above, we can begin to make the dream of inclusion of LGBTQI2S people a reality.