Title:

Exploring Women’s Rugby as an Inclusive and Empowering LGBTQ+ Community

Objective: Previous research is conflicted in understanding whether women’s rugby is a uniquely inclusive and empowering environment or implicitly adhering to heteronormative and masculine-centered stereotypes related to women in athletic roles. The current study explored the factors that women rugby players perceived as important to their perception of an inclusive environment, particularly for LGBTQ+ individuals. Method: Ten semi-structured interviews and a follow-up focus group with six participants were conducted with women on a university-based women’s rugby team in New England. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to collectively analyze both sets of data. Results: While the experiences and perceptions of trans and straight players could not be spoken to, players identifying as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Queer felt that their Women’s Rugby Club was either their first experience with a safe, inclusive environment or an important environment in coming to terms with their sexual identity. Findings indicate that the supportive actions of individual players, a general team culture of friendship, support, and belonging, and factors specific to the sport of rugby as a source of empowerment and trust, contributed to their inclusive team environment. Conclusions: Implications for future research highlight the need for a more robust intersectional analysis of rugby communities in order to understand perceptions of inclusivity from a broader spectrum of identities. From a practical perspective, findings inform how campus recreation, coaches, and team leaders can support and build inclusive environments.

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