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LGBTQ+ students face several challenges and obstacles in college and university residence halls. Prior research shows that living-learning communities can be a space in which students develop a sense of belonging and community, as well as pursue academic success. Using the findings of a qualitative study that explored LGBTQ+ students' experiences in residence halls and living-learning communities, this paper discusses what factors should be considered when designing living-learning communities for students who identify as LGBTQ+. With these findings and considerations, practitioners can make data-driven decisions about the services and programming they provide these students in residential spaces. [Discussion questions developed by Christopher Heasley.]

There is still much to be understood about the intersections of race and gender and how Black women student-athletes experience and navigate various academic and classroom environments and situations, particularly at predominantly White institutions. Using critical race feminism and narrative inquiry, this study unpacked the academic experiences of Black women student-athletes at predominantly White institutions. The findings reveal challenges navigating academic and athletic roles, responsibilities, and priorities; experiences of being the only Black girl in the classroom; and aspects of preparing for life after sports. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

This study examined the way college football players used social media to resist, highlight, and address inequity in college football. Employing a critical discourse analysis guided by poststructuralism as a theoretical framework, three public statements were analyzed to explore how the language used in the statements resisted multiple discourses that shape college football players' experiences. The ways that college football players used discourse to mobilize as activists and exert control over their college athlete experience were considered. These findings highlight three consistent themes and expand research on college athlete activism through social media and language analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter highlights issues of racism and neoliberal capitalism that exist within the market-like structure of intercollegiate athletics on college campuses, as well as some of the consequences for student-athletes. We discuss the importance of using critical frameworks to better understand and shift the culture and structure of athletic programs to be more inclusive and supportive of the needs and interests of college athletes.

Watching Black women win is one of our favorite things. Conversely, it seems to be one of society's least favorite things. Only two days after South Carolina coach Dawn Staley [...]

In the spring of 2020, George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, was added to the list of countless unarmed Black people killed at the hands of the police. As an entity within higher education, and an enterprise that makes millions of dollars each year on the unpaid labor of Black athletes, college athletic departments were called to take a stand in support of Black lives both on and off playing fields. The purpose of this study was to examine athletic departments' public statements in response to the murder of Floyd. We uncovered four themes: describing what happened, naming and acknowledging emotions, calls for unity and humanity, and calls for action and social responsibility. We conclude the paper by discussing recommendations for how athletic departments can affirm that Black lives matter and address institutionalized racism in both public statements and departmental initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]