2SLGBTQ+ Fitness Accessibility Report - for Professionals

Introduction

Thank you for your interest in improving the inclusivity of your space and practice for 2SLGBTQ+ clients. This report outlines fitness accessibility experiences, concerns, and needs based on a survey of 108 2SLGBTQ+ individuals. The report concludes by offering recommendations to enhance the accessibility of fitness spaces, along with referrals to useful resources to support fitness professionals and fitness space owners in making their spaces for accessible for 2SLGBTQ+ people.

About the Survey

The survey was developed in partnership with Queerflex, with data collection occurring in 2018. The survey used convenience sampling, with the survey primarily promoted through Queerflex, QTHC, and other 2SLGBTQ+ organizations. The vast majority of survey respondents came from within Alberta, though some responses were received from other Canadian provinces and locations within North America. The survey did not collect extensive demographic information, though responses were received from a diverse range of 2SLGBTQ+ individuals by age, gender identity, and sexual orientation. The survey consisted primarily of open-ended questions. For analysis, participant responses were reviewed and common themes identified. Participant responses were then coded by theme.

While this data is valuable given the lack of 2SLGBTQ+ fitness accessibility data available across most jurisdictions, including Alberta, there are a number of limitations that should be acknowledged. Given that convenience sampling was used it is likely that a large number of responses were received from individuals already connected to organizations such as Queerflex and QTHC and may have already had access to 2SLGBTQ+ inclusive fitness services provided by these organizations. Therefore, it is unlikely that survey findings can be generalized across all 2SLGBTQ+ people. Additionally, survey design and data collection was undertaken by staff of community-based organizations without extensive research experience. This resulted in survey limitations which impacted the ability to conduct some desired analyses.

Regardless of these limitations, we believe the following report remains a useful tool for fitness professionals and fitness space owners and provides important insight into the fitness accessibility experiences, concerns, and needs of 2SLGBTQ+ people.

Getting Started

Throughout this document, you may encounter unfamiliar language. If you do, you can access this thorough glossary of 2SLGBTQ+ terms and acronyms. It may also be helpful to review this guide of terms to avoid from Alberta Health Services, particularly if you are less familiar with 2SLGBTQ+ communities and terminology.  

Quotes are included in most sections to honour the stories of 2SLGBTQ+ community members and to improve your understanding of the topics being discussed. Please be aware that quotes include brief yet sometimes explicit descriptions of homophobia, transphobia, eating disorders, and fatphobia. 

Fitness professionals reading this document are encouraged to consider their own practices, policies, and actions in relation to the survey results detailed. Although it may be uncomfortable, eliminating harmful actions and biases from your practice is important and will benefit not only 2SLGBTQ+ people but all clients. As you will see, many of the positive factors and negative influences reported by respondents are not solely experienced by 2SLGBTQ+ people (although they may relate to health or social issues which disproportionately impact 2SLGBTQ+ communities).

While reading, you will encounter challenging topics. You may feel guilty or worry that you have done some of the things identified as harmful by community members. If this is the case, acknowledge your past actions and make a commitment to do better in the future. We cannot change the past but we can learn and continue working towards allyship. Consider being an ally as a verb: a state of learning, constant improvement, and working to listen to the experiences of those who are often harmed and marginalized by society. 

If you have questions about what you read, other fitness-related documents you find on our website, or other 2SLGBTQ+ health- and fitness-related topics, please feel free to contact us at any time by emailing connect@ourhealthyeg.ca.

Current Experiences

Personal Training

A slight majority of respondents reported accessing personal training services. Of those, nearly 40% reported having had an experience that was categorized as something other than positive. This section will outline common factors respondents reported as contributing to positive or negative personal training experiences. It will also outline common barriers to access cited by those who hadn’t accessed personal training services before.  

Positive Factors

Unsurprisingly, the factor most commonly reported as contributing to a positive personal training experience was an explicitly 2SLGBTQ+ inclusive environment. This was reported as a positive factor by 34% of those who’d had positive personal training experiences. The second most commonly reported factor, reported by nearly 30% of respondents who’d had a positive personal training experience, was explicit body-positivity. A similar proportion of respondents reported that trainers working collaboratively with them to set and work towards their own personal fitness goals was a positive contributing factor. In many of the aforementioned cases, respondents reported being apprehensive that trainers would be insistent on weight loss and were pleasantly surprised to discover otherwise. 

Therefore, while explicit 2SLGBTQ+ inclusivity is important, this data demonstrates that, for many 2SLGBTQ+ individuals, body positivity and shared goal-setting are also important factors contributing to a positive personal training experience. Less common factors reported by respondents which contributed to a positive personal training experience include: teaching diverse exercises and working toward independent use of and comfort in fitness spaces; and having information available to research trainers and their competencies online.

Some quotes from participants related to the three most common themes reported include:

Explicitly 2SLGBTQ+ friendly gym

From a client of a 2SLGBTQ+-specific gym: “...It was a life changing experience to be supported in that way. I had never considered accessing a personal trainer before because I was sure they would not understand my needs as a non-binary person with a significant history of trauma and a very distinct set of needs/wants.”

Body-positive space with a focus on weight loss only if the clients wanted to lose weight; no judgement of diverse body types and dis/abilities

“...Staff were very respectful of my focus on strength and cardio over weight loss. Weight loss talk was minimal in group classes.”

“He was delightful to work with. We had set sports-driven goals. It was never about body shape, just performance.”

Working collaboratively with clients to set and work towards their own personal goals 

“... The fact that I put ‘improve athletic performance’ and ‘get stronger’ [as my goals] was completely respected... I went into that meeting fully prepared and expecting to defend myself for not having any interest in weight loss.”

Negative Influences

The most common negative factors reported by those who’d had negative personal training experiences included: 

Explicitly homophobic and transphobic personal trainers (reported by approximately one-third): One might speculate that this number is lower than it might be amongst the general 2SLGBTQ+ community as this survey was delivered by several 2SLGBTQ+ organizations that work in the area of physical fitness, with two stakeholders actually offering personal fitness training led by and for 2SLGBTQ+ people as part of their services. It is likely that a number of respondents who completed this survey were connected to these stakeholders and therefore were more likely to have had access to 2SLGBTQ+ competent personal training services than the general 2SLGBTQ+ population. 

Experiences of fatphobia and/or body-shaming (reported by nearly two-thirds): Respondents detailed a variety of body shaming and weight-focused practices, often from initial assessments.

Other common themes included: a lack of personal fit with a trainer (just over half), training not being customized to the client’s fitness level and dis/ability (half), and a lack of shared goals (approximately one-third).  

Also of note, several respondents identified overall positive training experiences that were however soured by feeling unable to be ‘out’ in an environment where they were unsure of 2SLGBTQ+ acceptance. In these cases, trainers may not even be aware that their client is transgender or queer. 2SLGBTQ+ people often observe subtle cues from the environment around them, including offhand comments from people, and may ‘test the waters’ before coming out. For these respondents, in these cases, they did not feel safe enough to be their full self with their trainers. 

Below are key quotes from respondents related to the most common themes reported which contributed to a negative personal training experience:

Fatphobic or body-shaming environment

“The first question they asked me during my assessment with them was "what part of your body do you hate" - it was so terrible!”

“It was at a big box gym and the process of getting a trainer was kind of humiliating when it came to them being over-focused on my weight.”

Lack of fit or ‘click’ with trainer

“It just felt like more of the same (not feeling comfortable, feeling judged).”

Training that did not feel individualized or customized to a client’s fitness level, goals, or dis/ability

“I found it very intimidating and didn’t enjoy it. I did not feel like my trainer and I had a similar understanding of my goals nor my comfort level.”

Explicitly queer or transphobic environment

“They misgendered me constantly and asked uncomfortable questions about my body when I came out to them as nonbinary.”

Not feeling able to be ‘out’ - subtly queer or transphobic environment

“I worked with a student personal trainer. I had an overall positive experience, however I purposely let myself be misgendered to avoid the subsequent 'accidental' misgendering that would've followed if I'd come out.”

Barriers

Those who had not accessed personal training services were provided the opportunity to share why. The most commonly reported barrier to accessing personal training services was cost (reported by two-thirds of those who had not accessed personal training services). Cost was also reported as a barrier by many who had accessed personal training before and desired to continue but were unable to do so due to financial barriers.

Other common barriers reported by those who hadn’t accessed personal training included a lack of personal comfort (approximately 20%) and concerns about body shaming or a disproportionate focus on weight loss (approximately 10%).

Group Fitness

A majority of respondents had attended group fitness sessions, from yoga and aquacise to HIIT and crossfit. 59% of those who had attended group fitness sessions reported having a positive experience. This section will outline commonly reported factors respondents identified as contributing to positive and negative group fitness experiences. It will also outline common barriers to access cited by those who hadn’t accessed group fitness sessions before.  

Positive Factors

Of those who reported having positive group fitness experiences, 30% reported body positive spaces being a positive contributing factor. Body positive spaces were defined by participants as spaces which emphasized movement over competition and included participants with a diverse range of body shapes and sizes. The same percentage reported inclusive and nonjudgemental group fitness spaces as contributing to a positive group fitness experience. Finally, approximately 20% of those reporting positive group fitness experiences reported a 2SLGBTQ+ positive environment as being a positive factor contributing to their experience. 

Specific examples cited by participants in relation to the themes above included:

• trainers including modifications as a regular part of teaching exercises

• respect for participants’ bodily autonomy and knowledge of their own limits;

• trauma-informed teaching; safe spaces for those living with mental illness; and acknowledgement of different bodies and dis/abilities.  

Other common themes, reported by 10% or less of those who’d had positive group fitness experiences, included:

• having a motivating exercise environment

• getting to participate in classes with their friends. 

Negative Influences

Factors negatively influencing group fitness experiences were, in many cases, the opposite of the positive factors reported. Of those who reported having negative group fitness experiences, approximately 40% cited each of the following four most common themes as negatively contributing to their experience: 

• A lack of inclusivity in classes

• Feeling intimidated or uncomfortable 

• Feeling body-shamed or that the fitness instructor or environment was fatphobic

• Feeling trainers pushed too hard and did not respect participants’ knowledge of their bodies or limits

Other common themes reported by those who had negative group fitness experiences included: 

• The use of gendered language (~20%) 

• Gendered spaces (~20%)

• Too much competitiveness (~20%)

• Touching without consent (15%)

• Explicit homophobia or transphobia (5%)

Some quotes relevant to the most common themes reported include: 

A lack of inclusivity in classes, including a lack of modifications for different dis/abilities

“[I’ve] always been disappointed by how little attention there is to bodily difference and the need for adjustments/mods based on experience level/injury. They jump in so quickly that you have to self-identify in front of a giant class — I've frequently just powered through even though I know it’s bad.”

Feeling intimidated or uncomfortable

“I always feel awkward as the fat one.”

“I go to Zumba at my gym. I enjoy it but everyone else there seems straight and cis, so I feel quite left out and self-conscious and dysphoric (which is exacerbated by the mirrors in the studio).”

Feeling body-shamed or that the fitness instructor or environment was fatphobic

“Since they were constantly talking about weight loss it made me really have a relapse into my eating disorders.”

“I have had frustrating experiences where trainers tried to motivate by pointing [out] what food would be ‘acceptable’ to eat/drink if you push harder. ‘Get through this hard part and you might be able to justify wine tonight’ which I hate.”

Feeling trainers pushed too hard and did not respect participants’ knowledge of their bodies or limits

“Usually been pushed by the trainer in a way that didn't feel good (the mentality that what we were doing should be uncomfortable and we should push through it).”

“One of the worst things is that, unfortunately, many classes do not value bodily autonomy - if I stop following along with the instructions or demonstration, I am reprimanded, corrected, or "encouraged" to continue. My bodily self-knowledge is not respected and I am often pushed beyond safe limits, whether those be physical or psychological.”

Gendered language

“Every class I have been to at [Gym] and [Fitness Studio] has been so gendered, with instructors saying "Ladies!" "Girls!" and constantly misgendering me.”

Gendered spaces

“I am very early in transition of any visible kind so I do worry about backlash once I begin changing my presentation more — not in Zumba as much as in changing/locker rooms and the gender-segregated spa.”

Barriers

Unlike personal training services, cost was only identified as a barrier for 12% of respondents who’d reported not attending group fitness sessions before. Instead, the most commonly reported barrier by those who hadn’t accessed group fitness sessions was being uncomfortable in or intimidated by exercising in a group. Several of these individuals specifically identified concerns about body shaming or fatphobia in class environments:

“I’m overweight and don’t feel comfortable [exercising] in a group.”

“Would be a great way to embarrass myself.”

“[I have] concerns about the politics of the instructor and the harmful things they might say including mis-gendering, body-policing, heterosexism, fat-phobia and a general lack of trauma informed care.”

Other common barriers included mental health, specifically anxiety around exercising in a group; perceptions that classes would be gendered; and a general lack of interest in group fitness. 

environmental experiences

Respondents came from a variety of fitness backgrounds and reported accessing fitness in diverse ways. Respondents attended a range of gyms (chains, city-operated, and independently owned), spin studios, and more. Despite accessing a range of different spaces, the environmental needs reported by participants were consistent between gyms. 

“I think it is important to empower us queer folks to access all spaces, rather than pigeon-hole us into accessing limited 'safe' spaces.”

A common theme evident throughout the survey was that many trans and non-binary community members, particularly those who cannot “pass”, continue to face stigma, discrimination, and harassment across a variety of fitness spaces. Unfortunately, reports of “being ogled”, changing in cars, and facing microaggressions remain common:

“I think more education about how to respect transgender people around you while working out is important. I've gotten a lot of stares from people when at the gym, as I'm a trans dude with lots of facial hair & noticeably not-cis breasts.”

“Not being ogled at my local gym because someone’s trying to figure out my gender would be pretty legit.”

“I'm just really tired of businesses touting themselves as "safe spaces" because they found themselves a rainbow sticker and not following through with inclusive practices.”

“I have a trans non-binary friend who struggles with this and actually changes in their car to avoid having to go into the change room.”

“I have been harmed by the mentality of having queer/trans people report problems in order for actions to be taken. The idea that I need to be harmed in order to be helped is really screwed up and erases the systemic level at which transphobia and homophobia happen.”

“Existing as a pre ‘t’ trans guy is scary and exhausting and I don’t have it in me to access a gym space at this point unless I was certain it would be okay. I would love to work out.”

While these experiences are challenging to digest and point to key systemic issues across many fitness spaces, many of the barriers 2SLGBTQ+ individuals face in accessing inclusive fitness can be addressed through relatively small changes. This section will explore changes to spaces, practices, and policies that can impact inclusivity and change the culture of a fitness space so that 2SLGBTQ+ patrons can avoid discrimination and get their workouts in. 

Recommendations for change

Space and Policies

As part of the survey, respondents were provided with a list of possible accessibility actions and were asked to rate them on a scale of “Very Important” to “Not Important”. As you can see, all items presented were rated as being important by more than half of respondents, with all items (except the use of rainbow stickers) actually being rated as important by more than 75% of respondents.

Space is physically accessible

Consider whether entry ways, paths within gyms, and equipment is accessible to people with larger bodies or people who use mobility aids. Consider if the space is accessible by public transit or foot, or only by car. 

“As a fat person, it is so critical to include our bodies... Are the machines weight limited? Chairs? Is the space truly accessible (washrooms large enough for someone to move around in).”

Presence of visible minorities on staff

While this may not be possible overnight, creating an environment where people who identify with minority groups want to work will benefit both staff and patrons. If you lack diversity on your staff, you may also want to review your hiring practices for implicit bias. 

“It's just good to see visible queer people participate and teach fitness. When I see people that I can relate to at the gym it makes it feel more accessible.”

Intake forms with open-ended questions for name and pronouns

Review forms and make sure they are collecting information about how people identify now as opposed to or rather than what is listed on their legal documentation. Examples include asking about gender identity (as opposed to or in addition to sex), pronouns, and a member’s preferred name.

Signage on site indicating safety of space, including anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies posted visibly throughout space

As discussed earlier, many 2SLGBTQ+ people experience stigma and discrimination, inside and outside of fitness spaces. Ensure that all patrons understand that harassment and discrimination will not be tolerated and that policies will be enforced.

Staff have received 2SLGBTQ+ safety training

If policies exist to enhance 2SLGBTQ+ safety and inclusiveness, but staff do not have the capacity to enforce them or implement them within their practice, the space will not likely be truly safe or inclusive. Training can include education about 2SLGBTQ+ experiences (general and related to fitness) but also training to support trauma-informed and body-positive practices and working with people with disabilities. Although not everyone interacts regularly with patrons, higher-level staff and management contribute to policies that can have significant implications for diversity and inclusion. Therefore, all staff should receive appropriate training.

“I need …  ALL OF THE STAFF [to] feel the same way - that [inclusive gym changes and policies] are important to them... If I’m being treated poorly, I need to know and trust that the staff will stand up for and protect me.”

Staff are trauma-informed

2SLGBTQ+ individuals often have histories of discrimination and/or trauma within and outside of fitness spaces (as demonstrated throughout this document), and can be at a higher risk of sexual and physical assault. Ensuring that staff have the capacity to implement their work in a trauma-informed manner can be important to ensure they are able to support, and not further harm, 2SLGBTQ+ people accessing their spaces. 

“The importance of trauma-informed spaces cannot be overstated, especially since most queer and trans people have experienced trauma and/or have current or historical mental illness.”

“Gyms need to assume that everyone coming through their doors has a history of trauma and set up their space and processes to accommodate for the emotional, physiological and psychological impact of trauma... Making spaces safer for trauma survivors needs to be at the core of making spaces safer for LGBTQ2SA+ folks, as we experience trauma at bare minimum on the structural level.”

Space (and staff) are weight-neutral

Many people in society are fat or have larger bodies. Some 2SLGBTQ+ populations are more likely to be fat or have larger bodies due to a variety of factors including previous avoidance of fitness environments, being part of a lower socioeconomic bracket (over half of trans Ontarians live on <$15,000 per year), or having disabilities. As explored throughout this report, a disproportionate focus on weight loss either by staff or by the space itself can negatively impact a patron’s experience, particularly if this does not align with their fitness goals. 

Non-gendered or gender-inclusive washrooms and change rooms available

It is important to ensure that all of your clients/gym users have access to change room/washroom spaces that are safe and inclusive for them. Some trans and non-binary people do not identify with or feel safe in gendered change room/washroom spaces (i.e. “male” or “female” change rooms or washrooms). Therefore, it’s important to ensure there is an “all-gender” change room or washroom space that is available. 

“I think having gender neutral change rooms, groups, spaces, etc. is important. Some places will have "family" change rooms that are gender neutral, but as someone without kids, it feels uncomfortable going into those spaces.”

There were two additional items reported as being important by more than half of respondents that we should discuss separately. These include: 

Advertising the fact that the space is safe and affirming in print media and online and Using a rainbow sticker

Respondents noted that these can be valuable in helping them assess if a space is safe and inclusive before choosing to access it. However, respondents made clear that rainbow stickers or other advertising that indicates that a space is safe and inclusive for 2SLGBTQ+ people should only be used if they are backed up by tangible action such as inclusivity training, inclusive policies, and inclusive physical and social environments. Otherwise, if a fitness space signals that it is inclusive and safe for 2SLGBTQ+ people but doesn’t back it up, it can actually cause more harm than good by providing people with a false sense of security, only to have it dashed through exclusive practices or policies.

To help ensure that businesses aren’t signalling greater inclusivity than they’re able to follow through on with tangible action, we would encourage businesses to consider implementing some of the other accessibility actions identified throughout this document before choosing to advertise yourself as a 2SLGBTQ+ business. 

Businesses should also consider if they are truly inclusive of all 2SLGBTQ+ individuals when choosing to signal that they are an inclusive space. Several trans and non-binary respondents reported having had negative experiences accessing businesses with rainbow stickers because, while they were likely more inclusive for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, they weren’t truly accessible for trans and non-binary individuals. This has led to some respondents specifically seeking out trans-inclusive spaces. Therefore, if you have made the effort to ensure your space is truly accessible for trans and non-binary people, consider using a transgender flag sticker or including images of trans people in your advertisements to demonstrate that you’ve truly done the work to be accessible for trans and non-binary patrons too. 

“The indication that it is a safe space online and in print material is important because I've had bad experiences before, so I always research a space beforehand and if there aren't indications that a diverse group of people go there, then I'm reluctant to try them out. For me, the indications do not have to be overt, photos with diverse groups of people, welcoming language in any email responses to inquiries and the willingness to allow someone to meet beforehand also help in this regard.”

“I found some businesses had a trans flag sticker as well as the rainbow sticker. I found this super helpful, because someone who flies the rainbow flag may just be thinking in terms of sexuality.”

“I need to know that if they’ve got a rainbow sticker, that they’re actually going to do more for the lgbtq2s+ community and not just wave a flag around.” 

Recommendations for Social Environment

A theme present throughout responses was a desire for body-positive, trauma-informed fitness services. As can be seen in the previous chart, over 85% of respondents identified these aspects as ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ important. Body-positive and trauma-informed practices can be difficult to quantify and teach. Therefore, this section will outline the importance of, and training opportunities for, these skill sets. 

Body Positivity

While weight can be an important factor in someone’s health, disproportionate focus on weight, particularly weight loss at all costs, can have a number of negative impacts on a person’s physical and mental health. As reported by a large number of respondents, an overemphasis on weight loss when not aligned with a client’s goal may actually result in individuals avoiding or delaying access to physical fitness. Fitness professionals should consider the emphasis they place on weight and weight loss and how that might impact accessibility to their fitness space and services, particularly for people with larger bodies, those who’ve experienced fat phobia in the past, and those for whom weight loss is not a primary goal.

There are a number of emerging approaches to physical fitness which critically engage with historical understanding of weight and weight loss on health. One of these is Health At Every Size (HAES). HAES has three core components: 

“Respect: Celebrates body diversity; honors differences in size, age, race, ethnicity, gender, dis/ability, sexual orientation, religion, class, and other human attributes.

“Critical Awareness: Challenges scientific and cultural assumptions; values body knowledge and people’s lived experiences.

“Compassionate Self-care: Finding the joy in moving one’s body and being physically active; eating in a flexible and attuned manner that values pleasure and honors internal cues of hunger, satiety, and appetite, while respecting the social conditions that frame eating options.”

While there remains important debate concerning some of the claims made by proponents of HAES, engaging with such approaches can expose fitness professionals to perspectives and practices that can help them find more effective ways to balance considerations concerning weight and health with the needs and experiences of their clients for whom traditional approaches to weight, health, and weight loss have been ineffective and sometimes harmful. Proponents of approaches such as HAES often offer training for fitness professionals and establishments which can be helpful tools to developing policies and practices that take a more balanced approach to weight, weight loss, and health.

Trauma Informed Practice

Trauma informed practice, also referred to as trauma informed care, is important for 2SLGBTQ+ populations due to the increased prevalence of trauma within this community. An American study demonstrated that LGB individuals experience PTSD at double the rate of cisgender and heterosexual individuals, and that LGB individuals experienced significantly more traumatic events in their lifetimes compared to cisgender and heterosexual Americans. 

The Canadian Association for Mental Health defines trauma as:

“Trauma is the lasting emotional response that often results from living through a distressing event. Experiencing a traumatic event can harm a person’s sense of safety, sense of self, and ability to regulate emotions and navigate relationships. Long after the traumatic event occurs, people with trauma can often feel shame, helplessness, powerlessness and intense fear.”

Emotions stemming from trauma, including a pervasive sense of helplessness, powerlessness, changed ability to self-regulate, and decreased sense of safety, can all impact how somebody will respond in any given situation including in the gym.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) states that trauma informed care is “[understanding] how common trauma is and how it affects people. Then... [putting] that knowledge into practice in your work.” This is not simply a specialized skill set for therapists or health care professionals; it is an approach which demonstrates a basic understanding of trauma, and compassion and patience for those experiencing lasting effects of trauma. AHS has an excellent series of online modules that take approximately 20 minutes each, with additional resources available if further education is desired. Their resources can be a starting point for gym and fitness professionals to self-educate on trauma, and begin to put knowledge into practice. 

Conclusion & Next Steps

We recognize that a lot of information has been presented throughout this report. We understand that it might feel intimidating to try and act on all of the recommendations covered. Despite this, we encourage you to start where you can. Any action toward enhancing the accessibility of your fitness space and services for 2SLGBTQ+ people is better than no action and starting late is better than not starting at all.

To help you better apply these learnings within the context of your fitness space, we have developed a self-assessment tool. This tool walks you through the physical, social, and policy environments of your space, enabling you to identify opportunities to improve the accessibility of your space. The tool then provides recommendations for change that you can made to respond to these accessibility opportunities. You can access that tool and other resources by clicking here.

Finally, if you’d like to speak with someone one-on-one about 2SLGBTQ+ accessibility in your space - or arrange for a 2SLGBTQ+ accessibility training - contact an QTHC representative at connect@ourhealthyeg.ca.

Appendix: Population-Specific Concerns

While many respondent experiences and related recommendations for change were similar across all respondents, smaller group analyses of respondents by age and gender identity were conducted. The most common accessibility actions reported as important by each subgroup are listed below. This could provide fitness professionals and spaces with useful starting points depending on the demographics of the client-base they serve.

Self-identified transgender respondents

• Value indications of safety and inclusion on websites and print media

• Value gender-inclusive change rooms and washrooms

• Value open-ended questions for name and pronouns on intake forms

Self-identified cisgender respondents

• Value weight-neutral/body positive environments

• Value seeing a rainbow sticker more than other demographics, but still find use of rainbow stickers to be less useful than any other change to a space

• Value gender-inclusive change rooms and washrooms

15-20 age group

• Value gender-inclusive change rooms and washrooms

• Value open-ended questions for name and pronouns on intake forms

21-25 age group

• Value gender-inclusive change rooms and washrooms

• Value open-ended questions for name and pronouns on intake forms

26-30 age group

• Value gender-inclusive change rooms and washrooms

31-35 age group

• Value indications of safety and inclusion on websites and print media

• Value weight-neutral/body positive environments

• Place high value on trauma-informed practices

35+ age groups

• Value indications of safety and inclusion on websites and print media

• Value physically accessible spaces

• Place high value on trauma-informed practices