ABSTRACT
Heterosexism and its consequences are deeply rooted in sports organisations, resulting in discrimination against and the invisibility of LGBTQ people in physical activity and sport. The aim of this study was to analyse the awareness of public sports managers in the promotion of physical activity and sport with respect to the LGBTQ community. In particular, 43 semi-structured in-depth interviews with public sports managers and a document analysis were conducted to analyse the implementation of sports policies for sexual minorities in the province of Gipuzkoa. The results confirmed that there has been institutional inaction in terms of developing equitable sports policies for sexual minorities, and there is still a gap in strategic planning with respect to the promotion of physical activity and sport for non-normative people. Local sports managers’ lack of sensitivity, unawareness, and inexperience emerged in the results of this study, as well as the binary structure of the sports system, including the design of changing rooms, which leads to discrimination based on homonegativity. It is necessary to promote equitable sports policies to ensure LGBTQ people’s visibility and inclusion in physical activity and sport. In conclusion, the chapter proposes helpful ways to involve sports managers in promoting LGBTQ-inclusive policies, such as training courses on sexual diversity, promotion campaigns, awareness raising, and strategic plans for bringing about equity.
