Beyond2 - Examining spectrum of Masculinity-Femininity / Hetero-Homo normativity in inclusive competitive practices and accessible spaces of Aquatic sports and Dance

The project was designed around specific goals: development of models for inclusive aquatic sport events and environments, detecting problems and envisioning solutions and rising awareness and developing network for future collaborations. The implementation of activities was broadly divided into two phases: research and awareness raising.The first group of activities in research phase, took place in the first year of the project. Related Transnational meetings are meetings 0.1., 1.1., 2.1. and 3.1. In that period a team was formed to develop a methodology for best practice mapping and following the methodology partner organisation collected data on existing, mostly grass-root, inclusive sport practices. In the final output these are presented as “Action cards”. The methodology prescribed qualitative research on individual experience of trans, intersex and non-binary persons in sports and this was done as a series of audio and video interviews, parts of which are presented in the final output as “Voices”. A study visit with project team, collaborators and partner organisation members in August 2018 visited Gay games in Paris. Different sport and non sport events were visited, with a focus on aquatic sports and discursive events related to inclusion. Some of the participants of the study visit also experienced personal participation in sport events of the Gay Games. The study visit was also an opportunity to map more inclusive practices, interview participants and build a network of LGBTIQ sport organisation working on inclusive practices. Based on collected data in written, audio and video forms envisioning solutions team came with recommendations on how to organise an inclusive sport event, presented as Recommendations in the final output, as well as a proposal on how to edit the rest of the materials for the presentation in the final output. With this the project entered into the second phase, rising awareness activities and parallel production of the digital multimedia publication. Related Transnational meetings are meetings 3.1., 3.3.1., 3.3.2. and 0.3. The web team with external experts developed the multimedia publication and the editing team edited research material for presentation on the web. Partner organisation took on tasks on organising different awareness activities as follows. Queer Sport Split organised the Seminar in Zagreb (March, 2019), Aquahomo organised the Inclusive aquatic sport event in Paris (June, 2019) and LEAP sports Scotland organised the Launch of the multimedia on-line publication in Edinburgh (June, 2019). To reach a greater audience and get better networking opportunities these events were organised within bigger events. The Seminar in Zagreb took part during Balkans Trans Intersex Pride and Conference in Zagreb which attracted 300 participants, the Inclusive aquatic sport event took place as a part of Paris international tournament, LGBTIQ sport tournament organise by Fédération Sportive Gaie et LesbienneFédération Sportive Gaie et Lesbienne, the tournament which attracted around 2300 participants from all over Europe, and the Launch event was organise during Edinburgh Pride with thousands of participants. These events with relevant speakers at the Seminar, coaches at the Inclusive aquatic sports event and project team at the Launch presented the research results and introduced the problematics of inclusive sport events to stakeholders, mainly to the LGBTIQ community, LGBTIQ organisations in general and LGBTIQ sport organisations, but also, though to a lower extent, to academics and policymakers working in fields of sports and inclusion. The project was concluded with an evaluation Transnational meeting - 0.3. where sustainability of the project was discussed, with conclusions that the results can further be disseminated through existing and new networks, with follow-ups such as advocacy campaigns, legal recommendations lobbying, inclusive sport events, and youth workers training.