‘Yeah I’m gay, but I’m strong.’ Physicality, physicalness, and sport persistence among sexual minority college students

Abstract

Disparities in sexual minority (SM) sports participation have become better established in recent years, yet factors contributing to sport persistence among those who are involved in sport remain relatively unexplored. Using data from 23 qualitative interviews with SM college students who were high school athletes, we examined factors that influence sport persistence among this group. Our analyses revealed that physical aspects of sports participation - the embodied sense of movement and/or the physical contact with other athletes - influences sports persistence in different ways for sexual minority (SM) athletes of various genders. SM men frequently discussed participating in sports for external reasons that related to their perceptions about their own bodies’ attractiveness. For SM women and non-binary individuals, however, the internal physical sensations derived from sports were empowering and facilitated sport persistence. However, for participants of all genders, the sexualization of their queer selves by others within their sports context affects their safety, performance, and presence depending upon the physicalness of the game. We argue that making queerness more visible in sports may alleviate the burden faced by SM athletes who are isolated as the only queer person on their teams and allows for a positive physical experience.