Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Gay athletes'

Transgender athletes face scrutiny because they do not fit within the traditional and constructed bounds of male and female. The objective of this study was to discover how to provide advocacy to this marginalized population amidst discriminating policies and transphobic environments. The research included a survey of high school coaches from thirty schools throughout Tennessee along with interviews with five transgender athletes from across the United States. All five athletes reported that leaders were the most impactful allies in their lives and can be the main sources of advocacy for transgender athletes. Survey findings showed that not every coach throughout Tennessee will accept transgender athletes but in each region of Tennessee some coaches claimed to support and would resist discriminatory policies. Leaders have the opportunity to pave the way for transgender athletes by providing advocacy and amplifying the voices of transgender athletes.

This thesis takes the Sydney 2002 Gay Games: Under New Skies �02, as a case study into the production of global queer citizenship. In the existing body of work around the Gay Games they are analysed as an international gay and lesbian sporting event (Cramer, 1996; Krane et al., 2001; Pronger, 2000; Waitt, 2005), as a gay and lesbian community event (Krane & Waldron, 2000; Symons, 2002, 2004; Waitt, 2003, 2006), and as a cultural site where discourses of nationality, sport and sexuality converge (Miller, 2001; Probyn, 2000; Rowe et al., 2006; Stevenson et al., 2005; Waitt, 2005; Waitt & Markwell, 2006). This thesis builds on these investigations, asking specific questions about the ways in which discourses of sexuality and citizenship are produced and governed within and across the Sydney 2002 Gay Games promotional and media materials. The analysis is guided by Michel Foucault�s notion of governmentality (1991) and the works of related theorists who map the disparate array of neoliberal mechanisms of government that �conduct the conduct� and �act on the actions� of individuals and certain populations (Bratich et al., 2003; Gordon, 1991; Larner, 2000; Larner & Walters, 2002, 2004; Miller, 1993; Rabinow & Rose, 2003; Rose, 1996a, 1999). The analysis begins by asking how discourses of the autonomous, neo-liberal subject converge with discourses of �global living� such that individuals are invited to imagine themselves as increasingly flexible, freedom-loving (Rose, 1999), self-assured, cosmopolitan global citizens. The idea of the global imagination is then used to explore the ways in which the Gay Games commitment to �total inclusion� and its promise of personal and community transformation rely on similar neo-liberal renderings of tbe subject. It argues that the event�s �political� promises not only normalise certain forms of identity-based consumption (Chasin, 2000), they also (re)produce and normalise a very entrepreneurial, western-centric, cosmopolitan �brand� of global queer citizenship. The thesis also emphasises the important role that images and image-related technologies played in upholding normative meanings around queer sexuality and queer citizenship at the Games. In doing so, the thesis argues that images and technologies do more than simply represent individuals� lived experiences. Images, it argues, are (inter)active entities that produce and shape individuals� understanding of the �real� and how they come to know themselves as certain types of subjects. Where the Sydney 2002 Gay Games were concerned, images were integral in producing normative meanings around gender, sexuality and citizenship and in governing participants� experiences as �locals�, �global visitors�, �athletes�, �cultural participants� and consumers.

This thesis examines the complete absence of openly gay males from the ranksof the professional players in the Australian Football League (AFL). It seeks to explain this absence in the context of the modern gay rights movement. incontemporary Australian society. It compares and contrasts the effects of thismovement on both the AFL and other mainstream Australian social institutions. Over more than four decades, the gay rights movement has effected a number of social changes. These changes include both specific legal reforms and more general trends such as the increasing social visibility of gay men across a range of mainstream institutions including politics and the military. However, this trend is not consistent across all major institutions. It is far less evident in professional team sports,especially the major football codes of this country. This research shows that the same trend is evident in the major football codes of countries such as Britain and the United States (US). However, what is unique to the AFL is that none of its current or former players has ever publicly declared his homosexuality in a biographical text or media interview. Despite the absence of openly gay AFL players, this thesis accesses other significant sources such as the coming-out narratives of professional players in other football codes and of other athletes in Australia, Britain and the US. Furthermore, relevant research into homophobia among athletes is also presented. Given the absence of primary sources as well as the inability to access relevant subjects directly, this research is qualitative rather than quantitative. It is also speculative in that it seeks to explain a specific trend in professional sport in general and in the AFL in particular by outlining common trends. A primary focus is the pattern of masculinity that prevails in men’s sport, both amateur and professional. This pattern is examined in other exclusively or predominantly male institutions such as the military. Until the advent of gay liberation, this pattern of masculinity was depicted purely in heterosexual terms. This thesis explores the evolution of this dominant masculinity within the context of modern Western society, specifically in terms of the Industrial Revolution and its effects on the sexual division of labour. This predominant masculinity is also examined in relation to the mainstream media in various contexts. These include the reporting on both the public personas and the private lives of high-profile footballers in general and of AFL players in particular. A further context is how this reporting consolidates the elite status of high profile, professional footballers and how a range of sexual indiscretions are portrayed in the mainstream media. The thesis also examines how the homoerotic aspect of AFL is portrayed within the media. Since some of this media coverage has been analysed by academic research, further insights are provided into aspects of misogyny and homophobia within the AFL. Both this media coverage and academic analysis allude to a culture within the AFL that tends to preclude a gay player from coming out. This thesis explains the relationship among the factors— both within the sporting context and within broader society— that converge within the professional AFL to promote a particular pattern of masculinity. This pattern of masculinity continues to preclude the openly gay man among its ranks of professional players.

Thesis advisor: Robert Murphy
This study proposes several causes that may explain why NCAA Division I athletes graduate at a lower rate than regular students. The main tradeoff that I examine in this paper is how the academic quality of a school affects student-athletes’ chances of succeeding relative to the rest of the student body. We pinpoint the underlying causes of this graduation gap between regular students and student-athletes, leading us to suggest policies to improve the future academic success of NCAA athletes
Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2015
Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences
Discipline: Departmental Honors
Discipline: Economics

Lesbian athletes face criticism and discrimination from coaches, fans, and society. Researchers have suggested that female sport is stigmatized due to perceived masculinity and homosexuality, causing athletes to focus on heterosexual and feminine behaviors. The dichotomy of athleticism and femininity in sports has been extensively studied in the heterosexual population. However, the impact of the overt discrimination and pressure to conform to societal standards of femininity and heterosexuality has not been studied in lesbians. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study utilizing survey design was to examine the relationship among sport participation, gender schema, athletic identity, and internalized homophobia. A network-based snowball sampling method was used to survey 226 lesbians, 18 years of age and older. Surveys issued via Internet included the Bem Sex Role Inventory, Athletic Identity Measurement Scale, and the Lesbian Internalized Homophobia Scale. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, t tests, and Pearson Correlation. No significant difference in sports participation was found in lesbians with different gender schemas. There was a significant difference in the athletic identity of participants who were more or less active in sports, but there was no significant difference in internalized homophobia for participants who were more or less active in sports. There was no relationship between athletic identity and internalized homophobia. This study contributes to the existing literature on women and sport. It promotes social change by further investigating the influence of gender schema, athletic identity, and internalized homophobia related to behaviors and attitudes in sports.

The aim of this research was to produce reliable and valid new fitness assessments utilising both gas exchange kinetics and sport specific field testing for the determination of fitness in elite athletic groups. A series of studies were conducted on both track runners and soccer players to examine the usefulness of maximal, submaximal and sport specific procedures. The physiological measurements utilisedin this research were: gas exchange kinetics, maximum aerobic power (VO2 max), anaerobic threshold and a soccer specific fitness test. The research developed new procedures and modified existing protocols to challenge athletes appropriately in the examination of relevant athletic performance indicators. For the determination of test reliability and validity, test-retest analysis was performed and cross-sectional comparisons were made between performers of both different standards of performance and event specialisms. The submaximal gas exchange kinetics test enabled the differentiation of elite sprinters from elite endurance runners. A test-retest reliability study of that procedure revealed high test variability (measurement error range: 18 - 35%), possibly due to breath-by-breath fluctuations. The development of a mean response time through a mathematical modelling technique improved the confidence in this procedure (test-retest measurement error: 16%) and produced a single, overall, measurement to enhance the future application of the procedure for the assessment of aerobic fitness in different population groups. Nevertheless, relatively high test-retest variability remains a feature of the test. Further research examined the validity of standard laboratory and sport specific measurements in the determination of training status in professional soccer players. Maximal aerobic power was shown to be unaffected by short-term (5 weeks) changes in training status (63.3 +/-5.8 ml-kg-1min-1 and 62.1 +/-4.9 ml-kg-1min-1) , questioning the relevance of this measurement to routine assessment of fitness and training status. Conversely, the soccer specific fitness test enabled the differentiation between soccer players performing at differentstandards where there was no difference in estimated VO2 max, however there was norelationship between V02 max and the soccer test which questions the validity of the new field test. Nevertheless, it is possible that this result reflects a greater sensitivity of the new test to detect soccer specific differences in the fitness of soccer players. In conclusion, the research has demonstrated that gas exchange kinetics test has limited use for the identification of aerobic fitness in elite athletes. Future investigations might clarify the relationship between the soccer specific fitness test and match performance.

This phenomenological study examined the perceived influences that male graduates from Title I high schools attribute to their success. During the last 30 years the poverty gap has not narrowed and in some cases it has increased. This study hoped to provide evidence of supports needed by looking at males who overcame generational poverty. This study included qualitative data collection from interviews of 15 male participants. Nine themes emerged in the findings of perceived influences by these participants. The nine themes identified where 1) Success has two components; internal and external, 2) School personnel and programs guided success, 3) Change in mindset, 4) Changes in family structure and circumstances, 5) Lack of family financial resources, 6) Parents prioritizing success in school, 7) Being part of an athletic team/peer group, 8) Lack of experience affected college success and understanding, and 9) Credit difficulties from childhood for their success. The analysis of data collected supported the developed themes. Recommendations were made for further study and practice.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Alberta, 2003.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 226-260). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

The effect of incremental exercise to exhaustion on the change in pulmonary clearance rate (k) of aerosolized Technetium 99m diethylenetriaminepenta acetic acid (Tc-99m DTP A), and the relationship between k and the partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO₂) during heavy work, was investigated. Eleven male cyclists (age = 2 5 + 2 yrs, height = 181.3 ± 4.0 cm, mass = 80.1 ± 9.5 kg,V0₂max = 5.30 ± 0.37 1/min, mean ± SD) completed a pulmonary clearance test shortly following (39 ± 8 min) a V02max test. Resting pulmonary clearance was completed at least 24 hours before or after the exercise test. Arterial blood was sampled at rest and at one-minute intervals during exercise. Minimum PaO₂ values and maximum A-aDO₂ ranged from 73-92 Torr and 30-55 Torr respectively. No significant difference between resting k and post-exercise k for the total lung (kτ) (0.54 ± 0.19 vs. 0.57 ± 0.17, %/min, p > 0.05) was observed. Pearson-product moment correlation indicated no significant linear relationship between change in kj and minimum PaO₂ (r = -0.26, p > 0.05). These results indicate that averaged over subjects, pulmonary clearance of Tc-99m DTPA following incremental maximal exercise to exhaustion in highly trained male cyclists is unchanged. Lack of a linear relationship between pulmonary clearance rate and minimum PaO₂ during exercise suggests exerciseinduced hypoxemia occurs despite maintenance of alveolar epithelial integrity.

Demonstration of a greater elevation in the (ideal) alveolar/arterial oxygen difference in habitually active female subjects with exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia, at equivalent submaximal levels of oxygen uptake compared to inactive controls, suggests functional or structural compromise of the blood-gas interface may occur with chronic-recurrent intensive exercise. Mechanical and/or chemically mediated pulmonary endothelial dysfunction during heavy exercise may alter vascular tone and permeability, leading to interstitial edema and accentuation of ventilation-perfusion mismatch and/or diffusion limitation. Elevated plasma levels of soluble endothelial cell adhesion molecules E- and Pselectin have been demonstrated in acute lung injury and have been used as indirect markers of endothelial activation or injury. Therefore, plasma levels of these selectins were measured by enzyme immunoassay in fourteen habitually active, eumenorrheic female subjects (mean±SD: age = 28.9±5.51; VO₂[sub peak] = 49.4±8.2 ml.kg⁻¹.min⁻¹, range 32.3 to 63.7 ml.kg⁻¹.min⁻¹; TLC = 5.41±0.68 L, 101±9.3% predicted) before and after an incremental maximal exercise test during the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle (cycle day = 6.2±1.2, serum progesterone = 80+100 pmol.L⁻¹). Arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO₂) was measured and corrected for esophageal temperature, arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation (%Sa0₂) was calculated from blood gas variables and measured with pulse oximetry, and the (ideal) alveolar/arterial oxygen gradient was calculated from the ideal gas equation. Pulmonary gas exchange efficiency was maintained at peak exercise in ten subjects, while decrements in arterial partial pressure of oxygen during exercise of greater than 1.3 kilopascals (10 mmHg) were seen in three of the remaining four subjects. One subject displayed a minimal %Sa0₂ of 94% and was included in the mild hypoxemia group. Maximum likelihood ANOVA procedures, used on account of missing data, showed significant differences between groups averaged over time for Pa0₂ (p<0.01) and %Sa02 (p=0.04), while the group by time interaction for the (ideal) A-aD0₂ approached significance (p=0.07). Averaged over time, changes in alveolar P0₂ , arterial PC0₂ , pH and temperature were not significantly different between groups. Plasma concentrations of soluble E-selectin were not significantly different before or after exercise (p=0.16), but plasma concentrations of P-selectin rose significantly (mean increase ± SD; 21.5±24.8 ngmL'1, p=0.007). No significant group by time interaction was noted in pre-post exercise concentrations of either E-selectin (p=0.74) or P-selectin (p=0.42) between subjects who demonstrated normal gas exchange and subjects who displayed mild to moderate exercise-induced gas exchange impairment. The correlation between absolute (ngmL⁻¹) and relative (%) change in soluble E- and P-selectin, and VO₂[sub peak], maximal A-aD0₂ and PaC0₂ was not significant, nor was the correlation between minimal exercise Pa02 and either absolute (r=0.16, p=0.61) or relative (r=0.18, p=0.57) change in soluble E-selectin. However, absolute change in plasma concentration of soluble P-selectin was significantly correlated with minimal Pa0₂ (r=-0.60, p=0.04), while the correlation between the relative change in P-selectin and minimal Pa0₂ approached significance (r=-0.46, p=0.14). The increase in plasma P-selectin induced by heavy exercise may represent platelet and/or endothelial activation. Correlation with impairment of arterial oxygenation is compatible with the hypothesis that pulmonary endothelial dysfunction may occur during intense exercise in some habitually active female subjects.