A renewed call to queer sport psychology

Abstract

We write this article to promote (again) integrating inclusive excellence and social justice to queer sport psychology. We advocate for the interrogation of the functionalist, hegemonic masculinist, and positivist foundation of the discipline of sport psychology which has inhibited attention to multicultural, inclusive, socially just approaches in our scholarship and practice. This disciplinary culture presents an enduring barrier to developing LGBTQ inclusive scholarship and practice with divergent epistemologies, theories, and methodologies. We propose a reframing of the field of sport psychology to emphasize compassionate inclusion. Such a change can create essential institutional scaffolding that will support the interfacing of social justice, LGBTQ inclusion, and sport psychology. We offer an array of strategies and suggestions that can support this cultural change and ultimately queer the field.

Lay summary: We advocate for greater LGBTQ inclusion throughout the field of sport psychology. After critiquing the current status of LGBTQ research, we describe barriers to queer inclusion in sport psychology. We then propose reframing the discipline of sport psychology to emphasize compassionate inclusion and offer strategies to enhance institutionalizing inclusion.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

• Embrace cultural sport psychology and cultural praxis by integrating it in the training of sport psychology scholars and consultants, and in certification requirements

• Develop and make accessible resources for sport psychology professionals to become culturally competent/humble regarding LGBTQ sport participants

• Develop organizational infrastructure so that we can respond publicly to instances of homonegative, transnegative, or intersexist actions

Notes

1 We searched EBSCO, google scholar, and sportdiscus using the terms sport and lesbian, gay male, transgender, and LGBT, and without using any date limitations. We then reviewed the listings for journals that had the words “sport psychology” in the title.

2 We use LGBTQ and queer interchangeably in this paper.

3 We hesitate to call this acceptance, as it truly is reflective of tolerance rather than inclusion of diverse people.

4 It is important to point out that our invitation to write this paper is a welcome exception to more common editorial practice.

5 Because the term cultural competence is used in the literature to which we are referring, we use the phrase cultural competence/humility to bridge past and current conceptualizations.