Understanding The Lived Experiences of Lgbtqia+ College Students in Physical Education: An Exploration of Body Positivity, Stereotyping, And Participation

Abstract

The Research Was A Qualitative Project Aiming To Investigate The Lived Experiences Of Lgbtqia+ College Students In The Very Visible And Embodied Space Of Physical Education (Pe) In The Philippine System Of Higher Education. As Pe As A Commonly Heteronormative Space, The Study Sought To Learn The Ways In Which These Students Experienced Body Positivity, Stereotyping, And Involvement. The Study Employed A Descriptive Phenomenological Research Design, Grounded In The Approach Proposed By Giorgi, And Collected Data Using In-Depth And Semi-Structured Interviews With Ten Purposive Lgbtqia+ Students. The Phenomenological Analysis Demonstrated That Pe Was A Stakes-Ridden Social Space Where Extreme Structural Standards (Binary Gender Groupings And Strict Uniform Policies) Were Intrinsically Biased Towards Conforming Bodies And Provoked Increased Bodily Self-Consciousness And Gender Dysphoria. Moreover, The Subjects Had To Negotiate An Insidious Cloud Of Mild Stereotyping, Which Required A Debilitating State Of Internalized Vigilance To Keep The Social Peace On An Even Footing. One Of The Key Findings Was That Student Engagement Was Not Only An Issue Of Academic Conformity, But An Adaptive Strategy That Was Entirely Contingent On The Existence Of Psychological Safety. In Order To Be A Part Of It, The Judgmental Eye Of The Surroundings Needed To Be Neutralized By The Enabling Peers And Elastic, Understanding Teachers. The Research Resulted In The Creation Of The Inclusive Physical Education (Ipe) Model, Which Illustrates The Importance Of Institutional Policy Changes, Gender-Sensitive Pedagogy, And Active Elimination Of Exclusionary Systems To Make Sure That All Learners Participate Equally And Decently.