Trans Inclusion in Sport Project
Gendered Intelligence is pleased to announce the Trans Inclusion in Sport project, initially running until March 2020.
The project is designed to make a positive, practical difference to confidence and inclusivity across the sport / physical activity sector, and to the lives of trans people, through providing information and guidance, and training to sport and physical activity governing bodies and leading providers.
About Gendered Intelligence
Gendered Intelligence is a registered charity that works to increase understandings of gender diversity and improve the lives of trans people.
We work throughout the UK, offering a broad spectrum of non-judgmental, practical services to the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, including staff training, speakers and panellists for events and conferences, and wide-ranging consultancy.
We also provide services for young trans and gender questioning people and those who support them, especially within educational settings.
Trans People and Sport / Physical Activity
Trans people are particularly underrepresented in sport and physical activity.
Whilst nationwide figures show that on average 33% of men and 45% of women are not active enough for good health, this figure rises to 60% for trans people, and 64% for those who don’t identify as either male or female.
[Source: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans People and Physical Activity: What You Need to Know, National LGB&T Partnership, 2016, referencing Health Survey for England, 2012, and the Partnerships own survey of LGBT people, 2015]
Project Aims
Through the Trans Inclusion in Sport project, Gendered Intelligence aims for sport / physical activity organisations to become more knowledgeable and more confident in their ability to create and implement realistic, everyday trans inclusive practices. Alongside this, we aim to encourage trans people themselves to take up, or return to, physical activity and sport and all the benefits that can bring.
Project Outline
The project has three main phases:
Research - to identify good practice already taking place; the questions and issues sports / physical activity organisations have; and the barriers faced by trans people - via surveys supported by focus groups and desktop research
Guidance development – creating a Trans Inclusion Workbook and Safety Assessment Tool for organisations, and a Guide for Trans People
Training – delivering twenty full day training sessions to support practical implementation of trans inclusive practices in sport
A note about language In describing this project, we have used the term ‘trans’ as an umbrella term for all those whose gender is different from the gender they were assumed to have (an assumption based on the sex they were assigned at birth or in early childhood); as well as those who are questioning their gender. This includes those who experience that difference part of the time.
We recognise that trans is not a term everyone with those experiences uses and that people may use other language to describe themselves as well as or instead of trans, including (but not limited to) non-binary, gender fluid, agender, genderqueer, gender questioning, man with a trans history, woman with a trans history, man, woman and other non-Western terms that reflect specific cultural experiences and expressions of gender.
Whilst we need to use an umbrella term for practical writing purposes, we acknowledge the wide diversity of terms and experiences that exists, and are seeking to ensure the guidance and training reflects and respects that diversity.
The survey offers opportunity for trans people to describe their gender in their own words, so that nobody is constrained to use terms that don’t fit them.
Survey of Trans People's Experiences
As a first step, we surveyed trans people about their experiences in Sport and Physical Activity. This survey is now closed and we extend our thanks to all those who took part.
If you would like to hear about the release of the guidance to which this survey will contribute, follow Gendered Intelligence on Twitter (@GenderIntell) or Facebook (@GenderedIntelligence).