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The role of religious identity has been explored as an important element of self-identity for many individuals. Organized religions are also often recognized as unwelcoming environments for sexual ...

This article offers a brief response to questions posed in Queerness as/and Political Attunement (Burns, 2021). Here we challenge the notion that discussions of queer oppression during, and beyond,...

Campus recreational sport programs strive to create an environment that is accessible to diverse participants, including LGBTQ population groups. While improvement has been made in promoting resources and workgroups related to diversity management practices, little empirical evidence exists as it relates to the efficacy of diversity trainings for recreational sport employees. This study analyzed the impact of a diversity training program geared toward the development of affirming recreational sport practices for LGBTQ populations and exploring the professional competencies related to LGBTQ inclusion that are practiced within in a collegiate recreational sport setting. Results indicated that the targeted training initiative was effective in statistically improving employee confidence as it relates to LGBTQ professional competencies ( p < .000), while nonattendance at the training showed no statistically significant differences in such competencies. This study serves as a starting point for investigating the impact of LGBTQ-specific diversity training programs on recreational sport staff members.

Syndecan-1 (SDC-1) is an integral membrane heparin sulfate proteoglycan that is involved in inflammatory response, cell-signaling, cell proliferation, and numerous other cell-matrix interactions. Like the other members of the syndecan family, very little is known about structural conformations and dynamics of SDC-1. A majority of interactions occur through the extracellular ectodomain, therefore we have dedicated our research efforts to the study this specific portion of SDC-1. The ectodomain is often shed from the cell surface due to various stimuli. The released fragment has already been used as a useful biomarker for prognosis of some diseases and cancers. SDC-1 can be cleaved in different locations depending on the sheddase, generating soluble shed ectodomains that can be carried away in blood sera. In this study, we focus specifically on two main cleavage fragments that can be generated. We show the first successful expression and purification of recombinant SDC-1 ectodomains. Production of SDC-1 in E. coli allows the production of the core protein without risking heterogeneous post-translational modifications such as glycosylation, allowing a certain level of control over protein homogeneity that is not possible in mammalian expression. An expression vector was used to generate two different fusion proteins consisting of a His-tag and a TEV cleavage site for the removal of the fusion partner. SDS-PAGE was used to track the expression as well as the purification. Masses of the isolated proteins were determined using mass spectrometry and the purity and homogeneity were evaluated by solution NMR.

The purpose of this study was to examine the initiatives that current aquatic managers in campus recreation are implementing to create environments that are inclusive to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) participation and to assess the barriers to such initiatives. The study utilized in-depth semistructured interviews with nine campus recreation aquatic managers to examine steps that are currently being taken when it comes to creating environments that are perceived to be open, or closed, to LGBTQ participants. A grounded theory–based process of data collection and analysis resulted in emergent themes. These themes included (a) “I am not an expert but…,” (b) reactive programming and management, (c) inclusion as a general practice, and (d) the importance of gender-inclusive practices. Management strategies and implications for campus recreation aquatic managers around these emergent themes are discussed regarding the creating of inclusive environments for LGBTQ participants.

Health and well-being are integral components for achieving a good quality of life, with leisure engagement as a key component. This study investigated perceptions of dimensions of well-being from ...

Lesbians in sport may reside in a culture of silence due to the fear of being negatively labeled. Often, ideologies regarding lesbian athletes validate social inequalities through institutional practices. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of NCAA female sexual minority student-athletes. Employing purposeful sampling, nine current and former female student-athletes participated in semi-structured interviews. Through a combination of inductive and narrative analyses during the data collection and analysis processes, the findings revealed five higher order themes: (1) climate, (2) validation and norms of behavior, (3), misunderstandings and misconceptions, (4) negotiating identities and risk, and (5) gender ideology and assumptions. Although results of the present study are not generalizable, this study can inform inclusive practices to improve the experiences of sexual minority student-athletes. Further, this study will create awareness regarding the obstacles female sexual minority student-athletes endure on college campuses and within the setting of intercollegiate sport.

In 2015, Toronto's largest LGBTQ2S organization, the city, and a private donor collaborated and proposed what they believed constituted the world's first LGBTQ2S sport and recreation facility in Toronto's Moss Park neighborhood. While conceived as a site that would expand community services in an underserved community, this project was met with criticism from segments of the Moss Park community. Using qualitative interviews with both representatives from the LGBTQ2S organization and local residents, the purpose of this was to analyze justifications behind the project and concerns from the community. In so doing, the authors reflect upon the relationship between sport, recreation, and leisure-based place-making and questions of queer/de-queering politics by exploring the transformative or assimilationist aspects of queer recreation practices, the homonormativity of leisure spaces, and spiritual displacement associated with queer gentrification.

Student employment is a vital aspect of development for many college students during their matriculation. This exploratory study examined the self-reported utilization of desirable transferable skills by student employees in a variety of campus recreation settings. A survey of 417 campus recreation student employees was conducted, asking how often different transferable skills were utilized within the course of their employment. While it is recognized that no one environment may be able to provide for all transferable skills, analyses were undertaken with regard to the skills that were reported to be the least utilized (writing and computer skills) in an effort to understand what recreational environments better allow for the ongoing development of these skills and to identify areas of improvement for student employees in campus recreation with regard to transferable skill development.

The introduction of “social distancing” and quarantine orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have temporarily limited the ability for queer communities to engage in physical forms of social l...

This study examined the impact of a LGBTQ diversity training on the attitudes and professional competencies of aquatic employees within a campus recreational sports setting. While diversity training is often discussed as a key component of inclusive aquatic programming, little empirical research examining the outcomes associated with such trainings exists. As such, members of the research team developed, implemented, and evaluated a four-month long training program consisting of one in-person training session and monthly inclusion handouts discussing issues related to the inclusion of LGBTQ participants. A comparative quantitative research design was used to measure employee’s attitudes towards the LGBTQ population and inclusive-recreational sports aquatic professional competencies for both individuals who underwent the training and a control group of employees who did not participate in the training. Results indicate initial support for this training initiative with those who attended the training scoring higher on average in both attitudinal and competency-based measures.

Participation in recreational sport clubs on campus is a popular student activity nationwide. These sport-based organizations provide a host of benefits within recognized dimensions of health and wellness. Understanding participants' motives for engaging in these types of activities can provide insight in design and delivery and enhance participant health. This study focuses on outcomes related to the social motivations for participation in a recreational sport swim club and their potential relationship to social health.Current members of recreational swimming clubs were contacted for participation in the study from March-April 2016.A Leisure Motivation Scale (LMS) survey was sent electronically to 196 collegiate swim clubs nationwide. Aggregate and multivariate analyses from 1011 responses were conducted to examine the social motivation and motivational differences of participants.Social motivations emerged as the predominate motivational construct, indicating important implications for social health improvement through participation. Demographically, results indicated no statistically significant differences in social motivation factors based on participant gender, and statistically significant differences within participant race, university affiliation and practice frequency.Impacts of these findings are important for practitioners and participants when evaluating the potential these programs have to influence participant social health.

The purpose of this study was to determine leisure motivations for college club swimmers in the United States, and to examine differences in motivation by swimmers' gender, university affiliation, ethnicity, and frequency of participation. College club swimmers from a nationwide sample completed the Leisure Motivation Scale (LMS) to assess the strength and differences of varying motivational factors for club swimming participation. Results indicated that social and competency-mastery motivational factors were the most important for this participatory group, and that motivational differences existed based upon respondent university affiliation, ethnicity (White/non-White) and frequency of participation.

This exploratory study investigated attitudes toward gay men and lesbians among the general student population of a midsized university, paying special attention to differences in demographic measures and attitudes across campus recreational sport participants and nonparticipants. Specifically, the study sought to investigate differences in attitudes toward gay men and lesbians among the following groups: campus recreational sporting participants/nonparticipants, differing religious affiliations, socioeconomic status classifications, and participant self-identified sexual orientation. This study used a modified version of the Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men scale administered in person to acquire attitudinal scores and demographics of respondents. Multivariate analysis of variance statistical testing procedures were used, revealing significant differences in attitudes of campus recreational sport participants based on religion, and sexual orientation. Overall, participants who identified as Evangelical Christian held more negative attitudes toward nonnormative sexualities than Roman Catholic or nonreligious participants, and participants who identified as heterosexual held more negative attitudes than gay or lesbian participants.

The purpose of this study was to assess motives of swimming participants within the university campus environment and to examine whether differences in swimmers' gender, age, affiliation status within the university, frequency of participation, and classification varied in their participation objectives. One hundred and ninety-two swimmers at a Midwestern university completed a motivation questionnaire designed to assess 35 objectives for participation. Participants self-identified as a member of one of three teams (varsity, recreational club sport, or masters) or as an informal swimming participant. Descriptive statistics and univariate statistical techniques where used in the analysis of the data. Many differences in participation motives were evident from the analysis of independent variables. Results of the study were examined using tenants of the athlete situation interaction model of motivation. Translational outcomes discovered and outlined from the research include implications for coaches and administrators at all levels within the university setting.

This study used a site-based qualitative research approach to understand aspects of the experience and satisfaction of current users of an outdoor aquatic facility. These aspects described how users identify the setting and perceive positive consequences of partaking in activity at an outdoor aquatic facility. We conducted in-depth interviews with targeted users and analyzed them using systematic constant comparison analysis consistent with tenants of the grounded theory approach. Results indicated that the experience of users gathered around five basic categories of experience: (a) weather and natural environment, (b) physical makeup of the facility, (c) activities engaged in while at the facility, (d) management/administrative issues impacting experience, and (e) community and family. Results also indicated the importance of affective aspects of the facility such as sense of place, family, community, and social interactions. The findings and analyses of these categories can better inform recreational and public health professionals about the needs of various members of their communities in using aquatic facilities; the impact of experiences at aquatic facilities on physical, mental, and social well-being; and overall satisfaction with particular experiences at aquatic facilities.

This study investigated attitudes toward gay men and lesbians among recreational club sport participants, including an investigation of differences in attitudes across sport clubs, team and individual sports, gender, and contact with gay men and lesbians. This study used a modified version of the Attitudes toward Lesbians and Gay Men scale administered online to acquire overall attitudinal scores of participants, as well as two parallel subscale scores. Utilizing MANOVA and ANOVA statistical testing procedures, significant differences ( p < .01) in attitudes toward gay men and lesbians were found based on gender, contact with gay men and lesbians, and among different recreational club sports. Significant statistical differences ( p < .01) between attitudinal subscale scores were also found across demographic levels.

Following the Reasoned Action Approach, an online survey of 74 outdoor pool users illustrates how a theory-based behavioral analysis can be used to identify people׳s perceptions of a place in their environment. Regression analysis of close-ended data demonstrated that intention “to use the outdoor pool next summer season” was predicted (R2=.636, p