Xiang Meng, Soh Kim Geok, Xu Yingying, Ahrari Seyedali, Zakaria Noor Syamilah
Department of Public Sports and Art Teaching, Hefei University, Hefei, China.
Department of Sport Studies, Faculty of Education Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Seri Kembangan, Malaysia.
Arch Sex Behav. 2025 Apr;54(4):1391-1407. doi: 10.1007/s10508-025-03107-4. Epub 2025 Mar 19.
Sexual minority youth frequently encounter discrimination in sports, limiting their ability to fully access the physical, psychological, and social benefits of sports participation. This issue remains particularly underexplored in Asian contexts, creating a significant gap in the research on sexual minority youth in sports. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis and minority stress theory as a framework, this qualitative study examined the experiences and stress of sexual minority student-athletes (SMSAs) in China. Based on semi-structured interviews with 16 current and former SMSAs, the study identified three key themes: (1) Chinese cultural pressures and normative expectations, (2) Sports norms reinforcing the sex-gender-sexuality triad, and (3) Anticipated stigma and internalized stigma. While echoing global patterns of discrimination within sports, the findings highlight the unique cultural influences shaping SMSAs' experiences and stress in China. This study underscores the urgent need for inclusive sports policies, diversity training, and mental health support systems to create safer, more equitable environments for sexual minority athletes.
性少数群体青少年在体育活动中经常遭遇歧视，这限制了他们充分获得参与体育运动所带来的身体、心理和社会益处的能力。在亚洲背景下，这个问题尤其缺乏研究，导致在性少数群体青少年体育研究方面存在重大差距。本定性研究以诠释现象学分析和少数群体压力理论为框架，考察了中国性少数群体学生运动员的经历和压力。基于对16名现任和前任性少数群体学生运动员的半结构化访谈，该研究确定了三个关键主题：（1）中国文化压力和规范性期望；（2）强化性-性别-性取向三元组的体育规范；（3）预期污名和内化污名。虽然呼应了体育界全球范围内的歧视模式，但研究结果凸显了塑造中国性少数群体学生运动员经历和压力的独特文化影响。本研究强调迫切需要制定包容性体育政策、开展多样性培训以及建立心理健康支持系统，为性少数群体运动员创造更安全、更公平的环境。
