Overcoming Barriers to Further LGBTQ+ Participation in Purposely Inclusive Sports Teams

Project Description

Significant barriers are known to exist towards participation in sport activities among LGBTQ+ people, which can have a major impact on their mental well-being. 42% of LGBT people cited negative experiences of sport in school as responsible for their non-participation in early adulthood, while 47% found the culture around sport either intimidating or unwelcoming. Several studies have emphasised the need for sports to become more inclusive, and organizations such as Sports England and Stonewall are at the foreground of encouraging traditional clubs to “Make Sports Everyone’s Game.” There are also over 200 specifically LGBTQ+ sports clubs in the UK that are demonstrating the value of inclusion by example. Currently the Hull Roundheads RUFC is the only gay and inclusive sports team in our city. Our intention is to use the Ideas Fund opportunity to better understand (and hopefully overcome) the barriers and stigma that continue to exist within inclusive sport to further LGBTQ participation (particularly within Hull’s diverse ethnic minority populations). In partnership with researchers from the University of Hull and Hull Sport who have experience both in empowering communities to tell their stories and of drawing other minority groups into sporting activities, we will develop action research activities to a) Explore, with existing gay, bi, trans and non-binary members of the team, the barriers to sports they faced prior to joining and the impact that had on their mental well-being, as well as any concerns that have arisen; b) Design impactful approaches to framing and telling their stories in ways that can be communicated to other LGBTQ+ communities in Hull (including the development of dramatic monologues) c) Engage with LGBTQ+ individuals and organizations within Hull’s black, Asian and Eastern European populations and better understand any culturally specific barriers and stigma.