Exclusion, belonging and mental wellness: the sporting and physically active leisure experiences of women in rural Australia

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examined how access to, and experiences in, physically active leisure and/or sport impact on women’s physical, social, and emotional health and mental wellness in rural or remote communities across Australia. The online, open-ended survey participants were 92 females, aged 18–76 years (M = 44 years), including 64 women who were university educated, 20 aged 60 years and over, 10 from diverse sexual orientations and gender identities (SOGI) and seven First Nations Australians. Through a framework of intersectionality and an integrative theory for belonging, three key themes describing the women's experiences were uncovered: welcoming and inclusive spaces, mental wellness, and unwelcoming spaces and exclusion. Nuances across age, ethnocultural background and sexuality were identified in the data, as well as how intersections of gender and place/rurality affected women’s perceived overall health and mental wellness. These findings have implications for sport and leisure programming and policies in rural contexts.