Inclusive Recreation: The State of Campus Policies, Facilities, Trainings, and Programs for Transgender Participants

Abstract

This study served to examine the environment for transgender participants in campus recreation. Research questions examined 1) policies, 2) facilities, 3) programs, 4) trainings in place at recreation centers to create an inclusive environment for transgender participants, and 5) how departments assess their transgender-inclusive practices. Findings indicate the majority (79%, n = 123) of institutions do not have policies related to transgender participants. Sixty-three percent of responding schools have gender-inclusive bathrooms while 44% have similar locker rooms. Over half (57%) collaborate with diversity offices for staff training with only 13% of those schools ( n = 18) providing transgender-specific trainings. Finally, despite only 21% of respondents having transgender policies in place, the majority of respondents (79%) moderately or strongly agreed their department's mission, vision, or values addressed diversity in some manner and disagreed that their departments had shown resistance to implementing transgender policies.

Expanding the Scope of Universal Design: Implications for Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation

“…To ensure equal access to recreational activities, institutions need to provide inclusive locker rooms. Unfortunately, in a recent study in the US, only 44% of responding institutions reported having gender-inclusive locker rooms [54]. To exercise principals of UD, institutions should consider locker rooms that can be used by all persons, including single-stall changing rooms and showers.…”

"We Just Treat Everyone the Same": LGBTQ Aquatic Management Strategies, Barriers and Implementation

“…Within recreation settings, and aquatic settings specifically, underrepresented groups have historically seen a lack of diversity when it comes to participation patterns (Waller & Norwood, 2011;USA Swimming, 2016). Specifically, research has noted that the experiences of individuals from the LGBTQ community have largely been negative within these settings when compared to those who are heterosexual and cisgender (Rankin, Weber, Blumenfeld, & Frazer, 2010;Patchett & Foster, 2015). With members of the LGBTQ community encountering bullying and/or harassment in spaces that have been designed to encourage positive health and social interaction, it raises the need for questioning of education and training of patrons and staff members in these settings (Artinger et al, 2006;Forrester, 2014;Patchett & Foster, 2015).…”

“…Specifically, research has noted that the experiences of individuals from the LGBTQ community have largely been negative within these settings when compared to those who are heterosexual and cisgender (Rankin, Weber, Blumenfeld, & Frazer, 2010;Patchett & Foster, 2015). With members of the LGBTQ community encountering bullying and/or harassment in spaces that have been designed to encourage positive health and social interaction, it raises the need for questioning of education and training of patrons and staff members in these settings (Artinger et al, 2006;Forrester, 2014;Patchett & Foster, 2015). As Theriault (2017) stated, "recreation professionals have moral, fiscal, and legal incentives to ensure that individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) have access to safe, beneficial services that respond to their unique needs" (p. 122).…”

“…When gay and lesbian participants are active within campus recreational club sports, they encounter some varying levels of homophobia from other participants (Anderson & Mowatt, 2013). What is neglected in the literature to date are the experiences of transgender collegiate students and their involvement in campus recreation facilities and programs (Patchett & Foster, 2015). Methods for higher educational institutions to combat negative on-campus experiences have been to provide inclusive housing and to utilize inclusive language (Theriault, 2017;Patchett & Foster, 2015;Krum, Davis, & Galupo, 2013;).…”

“…What is neglected in the literature to date are the experiences of transgender collegiate students and their involvement in campus recreation facilities and programs (Patchett & Foster, 2015). Methods for higher educational institutions to combat negative on-campus experiences have been to provide inclusive housing and to utilize inclusive language (Theriault, 2017;Patchett & Foster, 2015;Krum, Davis, & Galupo, 2013;). As a result, some LGBTQ individuals choose to participate in recreational activities in a form of "discreet" participation in which no disclosure of sexual orientation is made nor solicited.…”