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Topic

2SLGBTQ Recreational Sport Participation: ºìÐÓÊÓƵ Health, Social Support and Community Connection

Social Dimensions of Health

Date & location

• Wednesday, April 16, 2025
• 1:00 P.M.
• Institute on Aging & Lifelong Health, Room 103A

Examining Committee

Supervisory Committee

• Dr. Nathan Lachowsky, School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria (Supervisor)
• Dr. Rusty Souleymanov, School of Public Health and Social Policy, UVic (Co-Supervisor)
• Dr. Jean Buckler, School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education, UVic (Outside Member)

External Examiner

• Dr. John Fenaughty, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Auckland

Chair of Oral Examination

• Dr. Georgia Sitara, Department of History, UVic

Abstract

Community sport participation is increasingly promoted as a strategy to support people’s health and wellbeing. Without strategies that account for the harassment and marginalization that many Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (2SLGBTQ) people experience in sport, the promotion of community sport may further compound health disparities experienced by 2SLGBTQ people. Despite these experiences of harassment and marginalization, 2SLGBTQ people have created their own 2SLGBTQ recreational community sports teams and leagues to exercise, socialize and play with other 2SLGBTQ people. In this dissertation I conducted a series of analyses to understand the relationship between 2SLGBTQ recreational sports participation and the mental health and sense of community connection of 2SLGBTQ people in Canada.

My first analysis is of data from the Momentum study, a longitudinal prospective cohort study on the health of gay and bisexual men (GBM) in Metro Vancouver, comparing self-reported questionnaire findings on those who participated in 2SLGBTQ recreational sports with those who did not. I also compared outcomes between those who saw a change in their 2SLGBTQ sports participation (e.g. started or stopped 2SLGBTQ sport participation). I found no significant differences in mental health measures, but GBM who participated in 2SLGBTQ sports reported more social support and were less likely to report being in poorer health. GBM who started participating in 2SLGBTQ reported higher community participation and were less likely to report being in worse health. Lastly, GBM who stopped participating were less likely to have depression scores in the normal range.

The second analysis sought to understand if transgender, nonbinary and gender diverse (trans) people’s participation in 2SLGBTQ recreational sports is associated with improved mental health, social support and sense of connection with 2SLGBTQ communities. My analysis is conducted on data drawn from the 2019 and 2022 cycles of the community-based, cross-sectional Sex Now study. Compared with those who did not participate in 2SLGBTQ recreational sports, trans people did not report a significant difference in anxiety symptoms, but did report lower depressive symptoms and higher satisfaction with their relationship to the 2SLGBTQ community.

My final analysis is of data from the Our Health study, a cross-sectional, community health survey on 2SLGBTQ people across Canada. I sought to understand the relationship between 2SLGBTQ recreational sport participation, and 2SLGBTQ people’s mental health, social support and sense of 2SLGBTQ community connection. I also sought to understand if age moderated any of these potential associations. I found that while participants of 2SLGBTQ recreational sports reported similar levels of anxiety and depression symptoms as non-participants, they demonstrated significantly higher social support and 2SLGBTQ community connection. These associates held for younger and older 2SLGBTQ people.

My research has found a strong relationship between 2SLGBTQ people’s participation in 2SLGBTQ sport and improved mental health, social support and sense of connection to 2SLGBTQ communities. This dissertation provides insights for social service and healthcare policy and practice to engage 2SLGBTQ recreational sport to support the health and wellbeing of 2SLGBTQ people across Canada.