Shining a light on the unseen athletes: stories of exclusion and resistance among gay athletes in professional team sports

• Date: 02 April 2024
• Pages: 1192-1207
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-11-2023-0404
• Published date: 02 April 2024
• Author: Chris Voth,Kyoung June Yi

Shining a light on the unseen

athletes: stories of exclusion

and resistance among gay athletes

in professional team sports

Chris Voth

Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, University of Manitoba,

Winnipeg, Canada, and

Kyoung June Yi

Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

Abstract

Purpose –This study uncovers the challenges and coping mechanisms related to stigma and discrimination

experienced by gay professional team sport athletes.

Design/methodology/approach–Utilizing interpretive phenomenological analysis, this study recruited six

gay athletes in professional team sports. Data were collected through virtual one-on-one semi-structured

interviews, along with field notes and reflexive journaling, and were thematically analyzed.

Findings –The first theme highlights the discrimination and marginalization experienced by gay athletes in

professional team sports, as well as the perceived differences between these athletes and their heterosexual

counterparts. The second theme includes anecdotes illustrating their experiences of exclusion, along with

counter-stories that resist marginalization. The last theme comprises stories that underscore the lack of

acceptance and advocacy, emphasizing the awareness education aimed at making the sporting realm more

inclusive.

Research limitations/implications –Despite the extensive recruiting efforts for this study, numerous

sports and countries remain unexplored. Follow-up studies are required to fill this gap. As this study was

initiated, additional research is needed to provide information on athletes who are still in the closet. Cross-

comparisons between gay athletes and their heterosexual teammates can help bridge the gap in perspectives.

Practical implications –Participants emphasized collective efforts in creating inclusive and welcoming

environments for gay athletes, including anti-discrimination policies related to language use, showers and

relocation adjustments.

Social implications –Participants have put forth concrete recommendations for enhancing inclusivity

within team sport environments and society at large, including proposals for early educational initiatives

within the school systems.

Originality/value –This is the first empirical study that focuses on the experiences of gay professional team

sport athletes.

Keywords Qualitative, Inclusion, Qualitative research, Team sport, Gay, LGBTGþ, Professional athlete

Paper type Research paper

Introduction

In recent years, LGBTQþathletes have become more visible in the professional sports realm,

exemplified by the steady rise of “out”professional athletes competing at major sporting

events such as the Olympics, FIFA World Cup and various other local, national and

EDI

43,7

1192

The authors express sincere thanks to Dr A and Dr B (names removed for author anonymity) for their

critical comments and constructive feedback throughout the entire research process. The corresponding

author was affiliated to the Faculty of C at the University of D during some stages of the research process

(names removed for author anonymity).

Funding: The study received support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Disclosure statement: The authors hereby confirm that there is no conflict of interest.

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

https://www.emerald.com/insight/2040-7149.htm

Received 20 November 2023

Revised 19 February 2024

Accepted 14 March 2024

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

An International Journal

Vol. 43 No. 7, 2024

pp. 1192-1207

© Emerald Publishing Limited

2040-7149

DOI 10.1108/EDI-11-2023-0404

international sports tournaments. However, visibility does not necessarily equate to

acceptance and inclusivity. Numerous studies on the experiences of gay athletes report that

these individuals frequently encounter disrespectful stereotyping, hear derogatory insults

and experience sexual violence and harassment (Denison et al., 2020;Harmon, 2020;Herrick

and Duncan, 2018).

Even within LGBTQþcommunities, there exists a significant difference in terms of

visibility. In the context of professional sport, many more women have been able to be open

about their sexuality compared to men (Anderson, 2002;Vilanova et al.,2020). These

statistics indicate that gay athletes choose to pursue careers in individual sports, while

being deterred from playing team sports. The perceived physical and emotional unsafety,

as well as a lack of acceptance and inclusivity within team-based cultures are the likely

reasons for the lack of participation (Denison et al.,2020;Herrick and Duncan, 2018;

Vilanova et al.,2020). Therefore, numerous athletes decide not to come out before

retirement. Indeed, many men’s team sports do not showcase a diverse range of

individuals, especially considering sexuality. This lack of representation perpetuates the

perception that coming out will hinder career opportunities, resulting in future athletes

concealing their sexual orientation too (Anderson, 2002;Vilanova et al.,2020).

According to Anderson (2010a), sport in Western society has undergone three distinct

periods concerning the inclusion of gay athletes: homoerasure,homohysteria and inclusion.

Homoerasure refers to a period where there is a denial that homosexuality, particularly in

sports, exists at all. This phenomenon can still be observed in some countries around the

world, mostly authoritarian or religious ones. Homohysteria refers to the rejection of gay

athletes in sports unless they are granted permission based on their talent. Recent studies

suggest that sports have reached the inclusion stage, with evidence of challenges to

heteronormative culture. Examples include embracing teammates with hugs, buttock slaps

and even behaviors previously stereotyped as metrosexual, such as wearing tight pants and

participating in nude photo shoots (Anderson, 2018;Anderson and Fidler, 2018;McCormack

and Anderson, 2014). Much of the research suggests that many Western sports industries

have entered a post-homohysteria era, meaning that it is now the inclusion period for gay

athletes (Anderson and Fidler, 2018;McCormack and Anderson, 2014). Nevertheless, there

are only a limited number of athletes who have come out as gay within the professional team

sports realm.

Therefore, this study aims to uncover the mechanisms behind the lack of representation in

professional sport and provide insights into addressing this issue of inequality. The study

investigates the experiences of gay athletes in professional team sport contexts and identifies

the factors preventing these athletes from playing team sports or publicly coming out. By

shedding light on the unseen experiences of these athletes, this study can lay the groundwork

for future research and spark dialogues that drive social change.

The study highlights the challenges that gay professional athletes face in terms of stigma,

discrimination, negotiation/resistance and acceptance within their teams and the wider

sports community, which have traditionally been male-dominated and heteronormative

environments. The study also explores the coping mechanisms that gay professional athletes

use to navigate these challenges and how their sexual orientation intersects with other

aspects of their identity. Revealing the unique experiences of gay athletes in professional

team sports can further inform the policies and practices of sporting organizations aiming to

enhance equality, diversity and inclusion. The stories of gay professional athletes can provide

real-life examples of resistance and achievements (Herrick et al., 2022), ignite positive societal

changes, such as promoting the acceptance of gay athletes in the sports industry and beyond

(The Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity, n.d.), and increase participation rates

in team sports among the next generation of the gay population, offering enhanced

opportunities for positive youth development (Bruner et al., 2017).

Unseen

athletes

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