Abstract
Research on sexual orientation and sports is limited in scope. Moreover, it often lacks clearly defined theoretical frameworks. The current study is framed within social identity theory and discusses the impact of Gay Games participation on (1) personal identity, social identity and group feelings, (2) used social creativity strategies to strengthen the (social) self-image, and (3) engaging in activities or acts for social change (in particular, coming out and political activism). Semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 Flemish Gay Games participants (7 women, 11 men, on average 38,5 years old) and consequently analyzed by means of NVivo 1.1. The analysis revealed several themes consistent with social identity theory. The results highlight the importance of recreational sporting environments where LGBT’s can practice sports with like-minded people in a taboo-free environment. These shape the personal and social identity of the participants, and strengthens their (social) self-confidence.
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