Résumé
While postsecondary students can reap health benefits from physical activity, 2SLGBTQI+ students face unique barriers that negatively impact their participation, including gender-segregated bathrooms and locker rooms, lack of representation in gym facilities, violence, and discrimination. Little research has focused on how to promote 2SLGBTQI+ student thriving in physical activity spaces, including safety, well-being, and inclusion. We examined the physical activity experiences of 2SLGBTQI+ students in a large postsecondary setting. Employing a constructivist approach and drawing on reflexive thematic analysis of focus groups with 22 sexual and gender minority postsecondary students, we identified three themes. In More than Muscle, participants challenged dominant notions of fitness as physical prowess, instead valuing spaces where connection, enjoyment, and accessibility were fostered through community building and playfulness. In Uncomfortable Fit, participants discussed how athletic wear functioned as a tool of regulation rather than empowerment, reinforcing gender norms and body ideals. Clothing choices were symbolic of broader gendered expectations, directing how one should look, move, and be seen, and leaving participants exposed, scrutinized, and misaligned with dominant athletic aesthetics. In Beyond Labels to Relational Inclusion, participants highlighted how inclusion cannot be achieved through naming alone. While some programs used language intended to signal openness, vague or binary framings left those questioning or navigating fluid identities feeling unseen. True belonging emerged from relational experiences, including moments where staff genuinely understood and affirmed participants’ identities. These findings are guiding recommendations for postsecondary physical activity that emphasize authentic inclusion through recognition, affirmation, and meaningful connection.
