Sexual Orientation Stigma in Sports
There are often topics in sport and sport psychology that are challenging to discuss given that, in many ways, sport is a microcosm of the larger culture. That said, many athletes remain silent about important issues and aspects of their lives, such as sexual orientation. So what can be done by sport and performance professionals (SPPs) to support athletes who continue to hide this aspect of their lives in order to continue to play? This post will not be able to answer all of the many questions and still strives to give voice to the topic.
Safety Assessment
The first piece to assess is safety. The inequalities that exist help explain the disparities in rates of sport participation and feeling safe while engaging in sport (Kulick et al., 2018). Safety is essential. This point cannot be overstated. Not all environments are safe, and if the environment is not safe, it may be necessary to keep aspects of the self hidden or find a safe sport situation. If the environment is safe, then a discussion would need to be had to understand the thoughts, feelings, concerns, etc., about surrounding the whys and reasons for the person’s decision. During this conversation, there needs to be continued mindfulness about not trying to sway someone one way or another. This means that an SPP needs to check their own biases and be aware of their own experiences, beliefs, and approaches.
Telling of Their Story
The telling of transgender and gender-diverse stories are situated reflections of individual lives, but they also are reflections of the world we live in since they are conditioned by and an expression of the social, cultural, and historical contexts (Marques, 2020). It also may be beneficial to hear their story. So much can be learned from their story, and there can be power in sharing one’s story in a safe space that is filled with compassion, empathy, and presence.
Skills and Resources
There are also some skills, resources, and exploration in which an SPP could engage a client:
Provide resources for emotional support, mental health support, community connection, etc.
Option for exploration
This is the time and space to explore the different options. What does coming out look like? What are the consequences either way? What does keeping your gender and/or sexual orientation identities do to yourself? What are the consequences? Basically, we are looking at all the options to understand the bigger picture.
Self-compassion skills
Self-compassion can be beneficial. Chances are the environment the athlete is in, and considering culture in general, messages could be internalized that may be harmful. Or there may be a trauma history, amongst other possibilities. Implementing and practicing self-compassion can go a long way during challenging times and help protect against the self-critic.
Regulation skills
This could be emotional, physiological, or cognitive regulation. Chances are suppressing a piece of identity will take its toll in almost every domain possible, including performance. White et al. (2021) talk about the fear of coming out and the emotional and psychological stress. Providing skills to support in these domains (along with referral as necessary) may help the athlete survive. White et al. (2021) also indicate that, before coming out, many athletes felt the need to adopt identities predicated on masculine stereotypes thus pushing themselves away from homosexuality. This feels like a rejection of a piece of self, which can’t be easy.
There are potentially many ways to support an athlete in this situation. Though, in the end, it is important to take a collaborative culturally and trauma-informed approach.
An athlete shadowed on a basketball court holding a basketball.
take action today moment:
Whether you are an SPP or not, it is still important to explore your own biases and beliefs. Take some time to do some soul searching to investigate how your biases and beliefs impact your thoughts and behavior.
Learn More About Sexual Orientation in the Sports Environments:
Sexuality and Gender Perspectives on Sports Ethics
Sexual Orientation Discrimination in Sport
LGBTQ Youth Sports Participation
References
Kulick, A., Wernick, L. J., Espinoza, M. A. V., Newman, T. J., & Dessel, A. B. (2018). Three strikes and you’re out: Culture, facilities, and participation among LGBTQ youth in sports. Sport, Education and Society, 24(9), 939-953. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2018.1532406
Marques, A. C. (2020). Telling stories; telling transgender coming out stories from the UK and Portugal. Gender, Place & Culture, 27(9), 1287-1307. https://doi.org/10.1080/0966369X.2019.1681943
Viel, B., & Demers, G. (2013). Coaching gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender athletes: Needs, challenges, and fears of top-level coaches. Canadian Journal for Women in Coaching, 13(3). 1-5.
White, A. J., Magrath, R., & Emilio Morales, L. (2021). Gay male athletes’ coming-out stories on Outsports. com. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 56(7), 1017-1034.