In 2022, transgender swimmer Lia Thomas reignited longstanding debates about fairness in sport, and by August 2023, 23 states had enacted legislation restricting transgender athletic participation. While trans-feminine athletes are often seen as a “threat” to women’s sports, the experiences of trans-masculine athletes are often overlooked. Based on interviews with 13 trans-masculine athletes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, I explore how they navigate gender identity while participating in gendered, competitive sport. I find that their (trans)gender identities and identities as athletes became inseparable and were mutually constituted. Additionally, I argue that their experiences in sport are contingent on their trans-masculine identities. While not the primary targets of antitrans policy, their experiences were impacted by broader, antitrans rhetoric and legislative efforts to restrict transgender participation.
“I’m the Kind of Trans They Don’t Care About”: Experiences of Trans-Masculine Athletes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association
Alexander Z. Perry
Navigating Physical Activity Promotion and Policy in the Post-COVID-19-Pandemic Era
Justin Richards, Katja Siefken, Michael Pratt, Adrian Bauman, Juliana Mejía-Grueso, Catherine B. Woods, Wanda Wendel-Vos, Erica Hinckson, Deborah Salvo, Pedro C. Hallal, and Andrea Ramírez Varela
Background: There is limited evidence on the priorities and opportunities associated with promoting population physical activity (PA) participation for the post-COVID-19-pandemic future. Purpose: This study assessed government-led PA promotion efforts before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with post-COVID-19-pandemic priorities and recommendations. Methods: Two separate cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2023. Survey 1 was targeted at the Global Observatory for Physical Activity (GoPA!) Country Contacts. Survey 2 also included key international informants representing influential stakeholders in PA policy implementation. Results: There were 68 respondents to Survey 1, collectively representing 61 countries. An additional 37 people, including representatives from 14 key international stakeholders responded to Survey 2. Eighty-two percent of countries had national PA policies. COVID-19 widely disrupted PA policy implementation. Less than 40% of countries integrated PA into their COVID-19 response plan and more than 75% reported policies that restricted PA participation. Although most respondents indicated that government PA priorities did not change due to the COVID-19 pandemic, one in five countries reported that cross-sectoral partnership had become more important during this period. Less than a third of postpandemic governments reported as highly engaged despite the widespread proliferation of PA policies and plans prior to the pandemic. There were variations according to country, region, and income. Conclusions: Elevating PA promotion on the public health agenda is crucial for the post-COVID-19-pandemic era. At a policy level, it is critical to focus on adequate resourcing, cross-sectoral partnerships, integrated interventions, and inequities in participation. These factors have become increasingly important in the postpandemic PA policy landscape.
Striving for Global Consensus: A Systematic Review of Social Return on Investment Applied to Physical Activity and Sport
Inés Nieto, Xián Mayo, Larissa Davies, Lindsey Reece, Ben Strafford, and Alfonso Jimenez
Background: Physical activity and sport (PAS) have been related to health and social benefits, but their monetary value remains unclear. This systematic review on the social return on investment of PAS aimed to find what are the social outcomes measured in previous PAS literature and how are these measured and valued. Methods: A systematic search was conducted on WoS, PubMed, and EconLit. Articles in English, measuring the social value of any type of PAS in monetary terms and utilizing a social return on investment framework, were included. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Drummond checklist. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. Results: Fifty-five documents (2010–2022), from all continents except America, were included; only 8 were published in peer-reviewed journals, whereas 47 were reports. Most studies evaluated the benefits of specific programs, and 6 measured the engagement in PAS at the population level based on national or community surveys. The social outcomes identified were health (94.5%), crime (50.9%), education (83.6%), subjective well-being (89.1%), social capital (60%), and other (3.6%–23.6%). The valuation methods included willingness to pay, well-being valuation, the cost of an activity that could result in the same outcome, and cost databases associating outcomes with a monetary value. Conclusions: This study updates a previous review and widens the scope by answering the question of how social outcomes are measured and valued in previous PAS literature. Given the heterogeneity found in the application of the method, this review will inform a Delphi study to reach a Global Consensus Statement on the measurement of social value and PAS.
To PETE, or Not to PETE, That Is the Question: The Influence of Occupational Socialization on Physical Education Teacher Education Recruitment and Retention
Craig Parkes and Shelley L. Holden
Purpose: A reduction in physical education teacher education (PETE) enrollments has been evident over the past decade. As a result, many institutions have eliminated their PETE programs, and the recruitment and retention of preservice teachers has been a significant area of concern and research. The study’s aim was to investigate how occupational socialization influenced PETE recruitment and retention at one mid-sized public research university in the southeastern United States. Method: Participants were 16 individuals who were undergraduate students or recent graduates. Data were collected through autobiographical essays and interviews. Results: Participants were organized into five categories: (a) PETE precandidacy, (b) currently enrolled in PETE, (c) recent PETE graduate, (d) seriously contemplated PETE but never enrolled, and (e) withdrew from PETE. Participants acted as pursuers, latecomers, and lamenters. The factors influencing PETE recruitment were (a) apprenticeship of observation, (b) the family business, and (c) job satisfaction, with the factors influencing retention being (d) a loss of enthusiasm. Discussion/Conclusion: The data from this study both support and contradict prior research into PETE recruitment and retention. These findings would be of interest to PETE faculty, program coordinators, and other administrators who are responsible for the recruitment and retention of students.
Transgender Athletes’ Testimonies of Existence and Resistance: Breaking Gender Binaries in Online Women’s Sports Media
Monica Crawford
Within an increasingly polarized media environment, transgender inclusion within sport has become a political wedge issue and, accordingly, a newsworthy topic. This study adds to the literature on media representation of transgender athletes by focusing on coverage within five women’s sports media outlets. Through a critical discourse analysis of 190 media artifacts, this study considers how the outlets discursively construct transgender and nonbinary athletes and engage in conversations around transgender inclusion within sport. Findings show that women’s sports media outlets foreground the legality of transgender athletic participation and the humanity of transgender athletes. Moreover, the outlets are understood here as a counterpublic where media organizations embrace an explicitly activist stance.
Two Confessional Tales of Trainee Sport Psychology Practitioners’ Experiences of Operating in Trinidad and Tobago
Jonathan Brain, Heather Hunter, George H. Franklin, Alessandro Quartiroli, Christopher R.D. Wagstaff, and Daniel J. Brown
We present two confessional tales of our transnational experience as U.K.-based trainee sport psychology practitioners working in a professional sport organization in Trinidad and Tobago. We first provide contextual elements of our placement before sharing the confessional tales regarding the nuances of providing sport psychology services in a cultural context different from the one in which we are currently training. In the confessional tales, we share some challenges and hurdles we experienced relating to our culturally led assumptions. The tales are titled “Boundary Issues” and “Punctuality Is a Privilege.” We then share some reflections in which we explore our lessons learned about cultural humility and describe our underestimation of our cultural arrogance and the challenges experienced during our cultural reflection process. We conclude this professional practice paper by offering several practical implications for trainees and qualified sport psychology practitioners to consider when developing a culturally grounded approach to practice.
Using 2 Versions of the Test of Gross Motor Development to Classify and Screen Young Children’s Motor Skills: A Comparison Study
Kara K. Palmer, Alec McKheen, Stephanie A. Palmer, Aaron P. Wood, David F. Stodden, and Leah E. Robinson
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine comparability between 2 editions of the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-second and TGMD-third edition) on (1) how children’s motor skills were categorized as average or below average, and (2) how children are screened for being at-risk for motor delay or with delayed motor skills. Methods: Participants were 226 children (M age = 53.4 mo, 125 boys). All children completed full TGMD-2 and TGMD-3. Children were classified as average or above (>25th percentile) or below average (≤25th percentile) and, when applicable, as developmental delay (≤5th percentile) or at-risk for developmental delay (6–25th percentile). We compared children’s classifications across TGMD editions using percent agreement and chi-squared tests. Results: The TGMD-2 and TGMD-3 had moderate agreement when categorizing children as below average (72.2% for total skills, 76.0% for locomotor skills, and 73% for ball skills). The TGMD-3 was significantly more likely to categorize children’s motor skill performance as average or above (all P < .01). Conclusion: TGMD-2 and TGMD-3 similarly screen children who demonstrate below average skills (≤25th percentile), but not for specific skill level classifications, including above average, at-risk for delays, and delayed.
Using Group Concept Mapping to Conceptualize Meaningfulness in Physical Education With Secondary Students
Jodi Harding-Kuriger, Douglas Gleddie, Déirdre Ní Chróinín, and Sean Lessard
Purpose: As a contribution to the ongoing Meaningful Physical Education (PE) research, this study seeks to understand secondary students’ conceptualizations of meaningful PE experiences, using Group Concept Mapping. Methods: Participants were secondary students (n = 55) in an urban sports academy. Conceptualizations of meaningful PE experiences were derived through three main activities using Group Concept Mapping: (a) brainstorming, (b) sorting, and (c) rating for importance. Results: The meaningfulness in PE maps depict synthesized statements distributed across four clusters: kindness, physical activity, fun, and quality education. The most important ideas were: “being treated with respect,” “working hard,” “having fun,” “being active,” and “equality.” Conclusions: The most significant Meaningful PE statements demonstrated the importance of blending the Meaningful PE features based on school context while making pedagogical decisions following the principles of autonomy and inclusivity.
Weaponizing Sport: Exploring the Legal and Policy Implications of Menstrual Tracking for Transgender and Nonbinary Athletes
Lindsey Darvin, Tia Spagnuolo, and David Schultz
The intersection of gender identity, sports participation, and health care is increasingly under scrutiny within legal and policy spheres. Specifically, the practice of tracking U.S. high school athletes’ menstrual cycles sustains concerning implications for gender-based discrimination, particularly affecting transgender and nonbinary athletes. This paper examines the legal and policy implications of menstrual tracking in high school athletics, highlighting the potential violations of privacy rights and discrimination against athletes of diverse gender identities. By analyzing existing laws, regulations, and case law, the paper explores the complexities surrounding the practice of menstrual tracking and calls for more inclusive and equitable sports policies. Additionally, it addresses gaps in privacy protections under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, emphasizing the need for updated regulations to safeguard students’ health-related data in digital environments.
What Teachers Always Wanted to Say About Inclusive Physical Education but Were Afraid to Speak Out Loud . . . Microlinguistic Analysis as a Path to the Core of Interviews
Helga Leineweber
Purpose: The aim of the qualitative study was to identify inclusion-related challenges and to specify the need for professional development of physical education (PE) teachers. To achieve this, the integrative basic procedure (IBP) is suggested as a suitable method. Methods: The methodological approach consisted of a combination of grounded theory methodology and IBP. The IBP is designed to reconstruct meaning beyond surface level of statements. The sample was comprised of 17 interviews with German primary and secondary PE teachers. Results: Reconstructions along the IBP revealed challenges in relation to teachers’ professional beliefs and abilities. Five crystallization points suggesting the need for professional development were identified: PE lesson design, teacher’s focus of attention, teaching ambition, performance concept, and attitudes. Conclusions: The methodological procedure places high demands on data and the expertise of researchers. Yet, it allows a deeper understanding of teaching requirements in inclusive PE and highlights areas for professional development.
