A Scoping Review of LGBTQ+ Focused Community Sport

Background and Purpose: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other gender and sexual minority (LGBTQ+) individuals continue to experience discrimination, including in sport. Nevertheless, some LGBTQ+ people find refuge through sport. LGBTQ+ focused community sport clubs have recently emerged to provide safe spaces for LGBTQ+ adults to benefit from sport participation. There are possibilities that LGBTQ+ community sport participation may strengthen community connectedness and positively influence identity development, both of which are protective factors for LGBTQ+ people. Yet, little research exists about participation in LGBTQ+ focused community sport. Thus, the purpose of this scoping review was to collate and summarize the empirical and grey literature related to LGBTQ+ focused community sport involvement.

Methods: Following guidelines set by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews, this scoping review synthesized the literature on the experiences of LGBTQ+ adults in LGBTQ+ focused community sport. A search for relevant peer-reviewed and grey literature published on or after January 1, 2000 was performed using key terms such as “LGB*” and “community sport” with 10 separate databases, including Gender Studies Database and Hospitality & Tourism Complete. Any record related to the experiences of LGBTQ+ adults in any LGBTQ+ focused community sport setting was included, regardless of the sport or geographical location.

A total of 36,673 records were identified. After removing 7,187 duplicates, 29,486 titles and abstracts were screened. Then, 239 records were assessed for eligibility, resulting in the inclusion of 119 records. This included 33 peer-reviewed articles, two dissertations, one chapter, and 83 grey literature articles. Thematic content analysis was used to organize data into themes.

Results: Five themes were identified: (1) Socialization and Community; (2) Safety and Inclusiveness; (3) Identity Development; (4) Mental and Physical Health and Well-Being; and (5) Advocacy. Generally, results suggest LGBTQ+ focused community sport provides a safe space for LGBTQ+ adults to strengthen their connectedness to the LGBTQ+ community; explore, validate, accept, and celebrate their LGBTQ+ identity; boost their mental and physical health; and engage in efforts to improve attitudes toward LGBTQ+ people and promote LGBTQ+ rights. However, LGBTQ+ focused community sport may not be a safe space for all LGBTQ+ people. Findings from the present study indicate transphobia, biphobia, fatphobia, racism, and hegemonic masculinity and aggressiveness have each made certain groups of LGBTQ+ people feel unwelcomed within LGBTQ+ focused community sport. There is also a lack of clarity related to whether LGBTQ+ focused community sport participation provides a safe space away from substance use or if participation encourages substance use.

Conclusions and Implications: Little research has been conducted within LGBTQ+ focused community sport spaces. Although participation in LGBTQ+ focused community sport provides several benefits, not all LGBTQ+ adults are able to reap these benefits. Future research should determine the prevalence of mental health problems and substance use and identify protective factors within LGBTQ+ focused community sport. Interdisciplinary research teams should be prioritized to embrace diverse perspectives, methods, and analyses in order to bolster the social impact of research in LGBTQ+ focused community sport.