Abstract
The purpose of the study is to examine the environmental deficits that are present on high school campuses for high school LGBQ+ student-athletes and how they differ with their heterosexual counterparts. This study will help provide ways to make the high school experience more inclusive for not just LGBQ+ student-athletes, but all students and all athletes that may or may not be a part of a sexual minority.
The current problem in the high school environment for LGBQ+ students is that not all of these students feel that they are treated or supported equally in comparison to their heterosexual peers (Human Rights Watch, 2016). The students who are a part of a sexual minority who are also involved in sports at their school may not only experience this marginalization in the educational setting, but in the athletic setting as well. In order for student-athletes to feel comfortable on their campus, the factors that are a part of their educational life, as well as their student-athlete life, are components that need to be understood. Aspects that can have a critical effect on a student’s life at school may involve peers, coaches, faculty, teachers, support groups, and equitable school rules. There are deficits in these components on campus when it comes to how to support LGBQ+ student-athletes, how to coach LGBQ+ athletes, how to make the campus inclusive for these students, and how to make a high school campus equal for all students. Fixing these deficits that are present on these student’s campus will help them to achieve athletic and educational success, especially being a part of a sexual minority.
This quantitative study design used an anonymous survey forum to get perspectives, ideas, and personal experiences from high school LGBQ+ and heterosexual student-athletes from schools Sacramento area.
Perspectives from the LGBQ+ and heterosexual participants differed significantly. The study was developed specifically to offer insights for readers on and off high school campuses about LGBQ+ student perspectives with what a high school campus could improve on to help them succeed.