Sports Activity Levels of Sexual Minority Groups in Germany

Johannes Müller,Michael Mutz,Nicola Böhlke,Hannes Delto

doi:10.3390/sexes3010016

Johannes Müller, Michael Mutz + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes3010016

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Abstract

It is widely assumed that LGBT+ people may feel insecure and unwelcome in sports settings, which are often characterized by a binary gender order and a culture of heteronormativity. Previous research also suggests that LGBT+ individuals experience homophobia in the context of sport. Despite these findings, reliable quantitative data on the sports participation levels of sexual minority groups are scarce. The paper addresses this academic void by analyzing sports activity data of sexual minority groups. The 2019 wave of the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) study is analyzed, which includes a novel LGBT+ boost sample of respondents who self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or non-binary with regard to gender. The analysis of this sample shows that sports activity levels (with regard to frequency and duration) of homo- and bisexual individuals are comparable to the heterosexual majority. Although findings show that a high share of homo- and bisexual individuals experience sexual discrimination, discrimination is not associated with lower participation rates in sports. We thus conclude that the domain of sport—although by no means free of discrimination—offers sufficient participation opportunities for LGBT+ people.

Highlights

IntroductionSports activity is an important predictor of physical and mental health
Sexual Minority Groups in Germany.Sports activity is an important predictor of physical and mental health
The results show that no significant differences between men with different sexual orientations exist [χ2 (2, 11,830) = 1.12, p = 0.57]

Summary

Introduction

Sports activity is an important predictor of physical and mental health. It is associated with better cardiovascular and bone health reduced risks of type-2 diabetes and obesity [1–3]. Sports activity is associated with better subjective well-being and life satisfaction [3–5]. Despite these well-established benefits, some social groups (e.g., individuals in poverty or from ethnic minorities) are under-represented in sports [6,7]. Scholars have often described lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans- and intersexual, queer people or other non-binary sexual identities (LGBT+) as another minority group that does not participate in sports activities [8–10]. A comprehensive analysis suggests that LGBT+ youth engage in less physical activity than their heterosexual peers [8]

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