Diverse Identities in Sport Conference Friday 4th

Transcript:Diverse Identities in Sport Conference Friday 4th:
Diverse Identities in Sport Conference Friday 4th March 2016 #DiverseSport Sylvia Morgan University of Glasgow LEAP Sport Conference 4 March 2016 Growing up transgender in Scotland: Formative experiences, school and sport Sylvia Morgan Gender Identities 28 research participants mean age 51 at time of interview 22 assigned male at birth mean age 57 (range 24 – 79 at time of interview) 6 assigned female at birth mean age 34 4:1 ratio in line with most UK research 18 participants GRS 4 assigned female at birth and 14 assigned male at birth Mean age of transition 45 24 said they were aware of their gender identity between the ages of 2-9 4 said they became aware around puberty Geographic Distribution 13 participants out of the 28 said they had experienced persistent and physically violent bullying at school. Bullied not for gender variance but for appearing physically different or for having a disability or being thought gay And for not being good at SPORT. Not perceived by participants as overtly transphobic -all but one said they did not present as overtly gender variant at school. Rather interpreted by participants as homophobic harassment. Formative Experiences Helen b.1947 My father wanted me to go to Gordonstoun, but then when I was eight he found a very, very tough boys school just outside Glasgow to try to get me out of my sissy ways. Where they would toughen you up and cold showers were the order of the day. And I didn’t toughen up. I was no good at sport and I think that was why I was bullied at school so much because I was in the sixth form and I was only 13 and I was much smaller and younger. It was a very sporty school we had sport two nights a week, and all day Saturday. And Sunday was church parade and army cadet force….I didn’t cope. I was no good at sport. I was bullied. And one of the traditions of the school was the prefects called ‘Chiefs’ were allowed to discipline the younger pupils. And the school uniform was a kilt. And one of their favourite punishments was to get you into the gymnasium and stick your feet under the bottom of the wall bars. A big beach ball on your chest and you had to do situps and while you were doing this they would lift your kilt and