Gendered bodies and physical education (PE) participation: exploring the experiences of adolescent students and PE teachers in Nova Scotia

Participation in physical education is often shaped by the gendered experiences of students. This study explored how the experiences of gendered bodies shaped participation in physical education (PE) among students in Nova Scotia, Canada. The study consisted of two phases: 1) focus groups with a total of 18 Grade 8 students (7 girls and 11 boys) attending public school in Nova Scotia, and 2) in-depth semi-structured interviews with six teachers (4 women and 2 men) responsible for teaching the Nova Scotia Grade 8 PE curriculum. Data were analysed through an interpretive phenomenological analysis. The analysis resulted in three main themes: 1) binary bodies, 2) competitive bodies, and 3) fluid bodies. Themes revealed the connections between gender, bodies, and participation in PE for students. Physical education in Nova Scotia (re)creates and (re)produces binary and heteronormative constructs of gender despite changes in the curriculum focused on inclusivity. The results of this study suggest that reviewing PE pedagogical methods and activities in relation to the influence it has on (re)producing gendered bodies would be critical in creating PE spaces that are inclusive to diverse genders and bodies. Such inclusive spaces can help increase student participation in PE.