New study to look at sexuality and sport

The Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS) is looking for participants in a new study on sport and sexuality, looking at attitudes to sexuality in sport and the experiences of gay, lesbian, bisexual and queer (GLBQ) people in sporting clubs.

Straight and GLBQ sportspeople from Victoria are invited to participate in the study, joining a series of secure, online discussion groups and individual interviews to explore a range of issues relating to sport and sexuality.

The study has come out of questions about the role of sport in Australian society, specifically whether sport is a genuinely open and inclusive part of Australian life for all people regardless of sexuality.

Questions considered by the researchers will be around the experiences of GLBQ people in mainstream sporting clubs, and whether there are personal costs along with the benefits of involvement.

Researchers will also look at whether straight and GLBT people alike think sexuality is an issue worthy of examination in a sporting context.

The study is headed up by renowned sexuality researcher Dr Gillian Fletcher, based at ARCSHS. For more information or to find out how you can participate, contact Dr Fletcher at [email protected] or on (03) 9479 8758.