LGBTQ Research in physical education: a rising tide?

ABSTRACT

Background: LGBTQ scholarship in physical education has a history tracing back to 1982. Recently, however, there has been a ‘rising tide’ in LGBTQ studies in physical education. Despite this recent surge there has not been a genuine attempt to critically understand, track, and map the scope of this literature.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify, categorize, and analyze published scholarship and peer-reviewed research on LGBTQ issues in physical education.

Design and Analysis: An exhaustive search was conducted on nine databases which produced 230 abstracts that was reduced down to 76 manuscripts chosen for inclusion. Articles were coded independently for numerous aspects of the scholarship and research. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and then deductively conceptualized drawing on critical social theories.

Conclusions: Whilst there is a current surge in LGBTQ focused research in physical education, such work is met with a complex web of interconnected and staunch problems that limit researchers. As such, the authors end with suggestions that can make the field more amicable for LGBTQ inspired research and researchers.

KEYWORDS:

• Sexuality
• cruel optimism
• systematic analysis
• queer
• critical

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

ORCID

Dillon Landi http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5767-3797

Sara B. Flory http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8366-4256

Carrie Safron http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6049-583X

Risto Marttinen http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3807-5684