Introduction

Embodied in an Activist Approach is the commitment to understanding and supporting all people present in a physical activity context, not only those who speak the loudest in ways that are easier to hear but also those on the margins whose voices have historically been silenced and/or ignored. This chapter introduces the book by highlighting Kim Oliver’s role in developing the Activist Approach and the ways it has extended beyond its original endeavors working with adolescent girls in physical education classes, expanding to contexts worldwide broadening into coed physical education, dance, after-school and community-based physical activity settings, work with socially vulnerable youth, and even firefighting camps. The Activist Approach affords space for educators to push against the status quo through a continual re-tuning of their ears and redirecting their actions.