Marginalised trans youth, physical education and school sport: reimagining inclusive spaces for all

The current socio-political climate is one of ‘moral panic’ surrounding trans people, with recent law changes reversing trans people’s rights, often justified under the narrative of needing to ‘protect’ women and children. Physical education (PE) can be used as a prism through which to examine these major societal challenges; this school subject remains highly gendered and structured through binary assumptions around bodies, identities and abilities. Rates of harassment are higher in PE than any other subject, yet there is a dearth of research focused on the experiences of trans youth in PE, with existing studies having typically relied on retrospective accounts of trans people’s experiences. This article offers an original contribution by focusing upon young people with varying gender identities and their experiences of PE and school sport. Methodologically, we draw on responses from 15 young people who experienced a range of intersecting inequalities and took part in four sequential workshops. We draw theoretically on cultural cisgenderism and inclusive design principles. Inclusive design has traditionally been applied within disability contexts, but our findings are significant in bringing these frameworks together to not only challenge existing cisgenderist structures but also to offer solutions to longstanding issues around gender segregation in PE that are not only outdated but damaging for all genders. Our findings show current approaches to inclusion in PE are largely reactive and individualised, placing responsibility on trans youth to negotiate access within systems that are not designed for them. Meaningful inclusion requires a shift away from accommodation-based models towards structural redesign. We move towards reimagining inclusive PE and conclude by offering recommendations to support the development of environments that can foster safer and inclusive experiences for all young people.