LGBTQ + and ally youths’ school athletics perspectives: a mixed-method analysis

Authors employed a convergent mixed method study focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) youths’ and allies’ (ages 13–18; n = 71) experiences in school athletics (e.g., physical education, after-school sports). Participants reported that they feel unsafe in school athletic contexts due to experiences of discrimination from their peers and inaction from athletic staff. Participants discussed a proclivity toward individual sports as opposed to team sports and also preferred to engage in physical activity outside of the school context. Analyses of mean differences highlight the marginalization that LGBTQ + youth and allies experience. School-based implications and future research directions are discussed.