“You Fall in Love with the Person”: Narratives of Female Athletes Coming Out of the Closet in Competitive Sports Teams of Spain

Abstract

Introduction: Previous research has shown that team sports are perceived as spaces conducive to homonegativism or as havens where female athletes can explore their sexuality. This paper aims to analyze the role of team sports in the discovery, acceptance, and respectful lived experiences of lesbian sexuality among competitive female athletes. Methods: A qualitative methodology was used. Five focus groups organized by sport and the age of the athletes were conducted. Forty-five female athletes participated in the study. Data were collected from May 2017 to February 2018. Grounded theory was employed for the analysis. Results: The athletes’ narratives suggest that the visibility of non-heterosexual persons, time spent together, emotional closeness, and similar lifestyles are features of team sports which allow lesbian female athletes to explore and establish affective-sexual relationships. These athletes participate in team sports because of their personal interest in the sport and not their sexual orientation. Conclusions: Sports teams have a protective and liberating role in female athletes’ sexual exploration and the free and respectful experience of same-sex relationships in the Spanish sporting environment. Policy Implications. Although the democratization of sexuality in Spain has been positive for women in sport, further research is needed to determine whether gay men can participate in sport with full social protection.