Title: Making Space for Identity: A Multi-Method Inquiry into Physical Activity and Social Belonging among Transgender and Gender-Diverse People
Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Mark Beauchamp
Committee Members: Drs. Hannah Kia & Erica Bennett
Chair: Dr. William Sheel
Abstract: In my dissertation research, I will explore the role of physical activity in shaping the health, identity, and social inclusion of transgender and gender-diverse (TGGD) individuals. Grounded in the social identity approach and transgender theory, this multi-method research program entails investigating how social identity processes, including belonging and socially based inclusion and exclusion, shape TGGD individuals’ experiences and well-being in physical activity contexts. Study one is a systematic mixed-studies review that synthesizes global qualitative and quantitative research on social exclusion and health among TGGD individuals. This review will identify potential mechanisms through which exclusion, particularly at the structural and interpersonal levels, contributes to poor health outcomes, thereby evaluating the extent to which social exclusion operates as a key determinant of health inequities. Study two is currently underway and utilizes life history interviews with 23 TGGD adults to explore how gender identity and engagement with physical activity evolve across the lifespan. Participants reflected on their childhood through adulthood, highlighting the influence of gendered social norms, group membership, and societal structures on access, participation, and well-being. Building on these findings, studies three and four will use experimental vignette designs to examine the effects of identity framing in physical activity environments. Study three focuses on cisgender participants and investigates whether framing physical activity spaces around shared higher-order identities (e.g., common humanity) can improve attitudes toward TGGD inclusion, and whether political affiliation moderates the effects of these identity-based messages. Study four focuses on TGGD participants and will examine how exposure to physical activity environments that align with their gender identity (e.g., trans-only or inclusively-integrated) versus traditional environments that do not reference identity alignment impacts affective responses and psychological flourishing. Together, these studies will advance theoretical and empirical understanding of how group processes influence health in TGGD individuals. By integrating insights from both qualitative and quantitative research, this program of work will contribute to a more nuanced understanding of identity, belonging, and equity in physical activity settings. Ultimately, this work aims to inform the development of inclusive practices and environments that affirm TGGD identities and promote well-being.