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Although lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) adults may face stigmatization in sport settings that undermines this otherwise identity enhancing form of leisure, LGBT-focused sport groups provide a supportive setting for sport participation. We examine facets of ego involvement (e.g., identity affirmation, social bonding) as predictors of sport group behaviors (e.g., practice participation, volunteering) with 228 LGBT-focused sport group participants. Over time, the more identity affirmation needs were met, the more people took part in sport-related social activities. Further, the more participants' identity expression needs were met, the more they attended practice. Enhanced social bonding from sport club participation predicted increased social event attendance. Finally, identity affirmation predicted greater social event attendance for men and those with higher levels of internalized homophobia. LGBT-focused sport participation helps meet important psychological needs, leading to enhanced sport organization-supportive behaviors. The contributions of this study to leisure and ego involvement research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sport spectatorship is a predominant leisure activity for many individuals who invest considerable time, discretionary income, and emotional energy in their teams. As a result, spectators are becoming more discerning about different aspects of their fan experience and extending their awareness and evaluation of a team's efforts beyond the main sport spectacle. This study builds on previous research on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in sport, which has found that spectators express their opinion of an organization's ethics and practices, such as their CSR programs, through their actions and spending. In order to understand the mechanism behind this, the current study examines the role of team identification as a potential mediator between spectators' perceptions of a Major Junior Hockey team's CSR initiatives and their patronage behaviors. The results show that team identification acts as a partial mediator between awareness and affective evaluation, and different types of patronage behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Those within the fitness industry claim that gyms provide accessible space for women (of certain economic status) to engage in activities that will increase their health. As such, gyms are marketed as safe, inclusive, and empowering spaces. Yet when viewing gym spaces through a feminist-informed lens, it becomes clear that gyms are not always innocuous spaces. They often reflect and perpetuate gendered power relations and highly prescribed cultural expectations for femininity around women's bodies, appearances, strength, and abilities. This narrative inquiry sought to illuminate women's gendered experiences within a for-profit mixed-gendered gym space. Through the use of unstructured life story interviews, this research highlights the dominant gendered expectations that women perceived within the gym and how these expectations influence women's gym use. The narratives also exposed several ways that gyms can be changed in order to facilitate more positive gym experiences for women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]