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ABSTRACT
The primary objective of this mixed-methods study was to identify and comprehensively understand the motives that drive trans people to engage in leisure-time physical activities and sports (LTPAS). In the quantitative phase, face-to-face surveys were administered to 155 Spanish trans persons [64 women (TW), 84 men (TM), and 7 non-conforming binary gender participants (NBG)]. The qualitative phase included 43 semi-structured interviews (21 TW, 17 TM, and 5 NBG). The fieldwork was carried out between 2012 and 2015. The most prominent motive was ‘to do physical exercise’ while the least important was ‘to enjoy competing’. TM and NBG persons expressed higher levels than TW in motives such as ‘to reaffirm my gender identity’, ‘to do physical exercise’, ‘to enjoy doing sport’, and ‘to increase my musculature’. Additional extrinsic (‘appearance and body image’) and intrinsic motives (‘pleasure of body exertion’) were identified in the qualitative phase. Extrinsic and the relationship between intrinsic-extrinsic motives highlight the importance of gender reaffirming embodiment among the participants. These findings have the potential to raise awareness and sensitise professionals, policymakers, and society at large to promote greater involvement and more fulfilling experiences for trans persons in LTPAS.
Acknowledgements
The authors want to thank the LGBT associations for providing access to participants, and the participants for their time and confidence. We also want to thank the anonymous reviewers and the editor for their insightful and supportive comments.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
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Notes on contributors
Elena López-Cañada
Elena López-Cañada is a lecturer at Department of Teaching of Physical Education, Arts and Music at the Faculty of Teacher Training (Universitat de València, Spain). She is member of the “Physical Activity, Education and Society” (AFES) research Group. Her research interests focus on the experiences of vulnerable persons and populations, especially, trans people, in physical activity and physical education.
Sofía Pereira-García
Sofía Pereira-García is a postdoctoral researcher at the Universitat de València (Spain). She participates in the AFES research group and in “Soca-Rel”, a critical physical education seminar. Her research interests are related to physical activity, sport, and physical education with vulnerable groups, such as trans and LGBT people.
Víctor Pérez-Samaniego
Víctor Pérez-Samaniego is a professor at the Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences and a member of the AFES research group at Universitat de València (Spain). His diverse research interests focus on the experiences of fragile and vulnerable persons and populations in exercise and physical education.
Alexandra Valencia-Peris
Alexandra Valencia-Peris is a lecturer at the Faculty of Teacher Training and a member of the AFES research Group at Universitat de València (Spain). Her research interests focus on active lifestyles, health-promoting schools, PE and PETE, with special attention to vulnerable groups.
José Devís-Devís
José Devís-Devís is a professor in the “Departament d’Educació Física i Esportiva” and Director of the AFES research group at Universitat of València (Spain). His research is focused on PE and PETE, as well as on leisure time physical activity in different deprived groups by using quantitative and qualitative methodologies.