Gay men, well-being, and sport participation: A phenomenological analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT There is a growing interest among scholars and practitioners in LGBTQ+ experiences in sport and leisure. To add to that growing body of literature, the purpose of this study was to explore how gay men navigate potentially stressful environments and derive experiences of well-being, and to gather phenomenological accounts of how gay men derive and experience well-being through sports participation. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, data were collected through semi-structured interviews over Microsoft Teams with nine gay men between the ages of 32 and 43. The participants were all living in Canada and the United States and are currently involved in team sports. Superordinate themes that capture the overall phenomenon were constructed. These were Sports and Living Authentically, and Sports as an Escape. The data demonstrated the complexity of gay men’s experiences of well-being. The findings highlight how gay men derive experiences of well-being from sports participation and the roles stressors play in these processes. This study provides a deeper theoretical understanding of the experiences of gay men participating in sports, as well as highlighting how gay men derive positive outcomes from these experiences.