Queering inclusion: the experiences of LGBTQ+ women in rugby in Aotearoa/New Zealand

In this research, I use queer theory to examine the experiences of LGBTQ+ women in Aotearoa/New Zealand (NZ) rugby and the implications of these experiences for developing LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport management. Queer theory calls for a destabilisation of conventional management approaches, thus creating opportunities for change. Intersectionality is a feature of queer theory, enabling an analysis of gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and to some extent age in this study. In semi-structured interviews with 18 participants, the analysis shows how the respondents queer conventional approaches to sexuality inclusion in rugby. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to develop and examine the following themes: the women’s rugby community; collective support; rugby club space and culture; managing relationships; and finally offered advice and future hopes for rugby in Aotearoa/NZ. In conclusion, the research finds that there are many positive aspects of LGBTQ+ women’s experiences in rugby in NZ, particularly in the women’s rugby community and their collective support. There is still, however, a long way to go in terms of working to change rugby culture in physical spaces and managing personal relationships in all aspects of the sport. The research provides a platform for thinking in new ways about inclusion, placing the experiences of LGBTQ+ women at the forefront and imagining a queered or disrupted future for rugby. The implications for sport management include the need for those responsible for LGBTQ+ inclusion to be engaged with, and learning from, the people at whom that work is directed.