Development and validation of the SAFE (Socially Ascribed intersectional identities For Equity) questionnaire.

Traditional questionnaires do not capture the complexity of how people are viewed by others and grouped into categories on the basis of what is inferred (or not) about them. This is critical in applying an intersectionality framework in research because people are negatively impacted because of "who they are" but also based on "how others see them." The purpose of this project was to develop and validate a questionnaire, grounded in intersectionality theory and a nuanced understanding of social position, that can be applied in large-scale, population-based surveys and studies. Drawing on 61 existing quantitative surveys collecting identity-based information and 197 qualitative studies on intersectionality describing the complex ways in which people's social positions are constructed and experienced, we created a draft questionnaire comprising five parts: 1) Sex and Gender, 2) Sexuality and Sexual Orientation, 3) Cultural Context, 4) Disability, Health, and Physical Characteristics, and 5) Socioeconomic Status. A draft of the questionnaire was then reviewed by experts via the Delphi process, which gauged the accessibility of the questionnaire (e.g., language used, length) and the relevance of its content using a 5-point scale and open-ended questions. These responses were ranked, analyzed, and synthesized to refine the questionnaire and, ultimately, to obtain ≥75 % consensus on each questionnaire item and response option. The SAFE questionnaire provides an opportunity to take a significant step forward in advancing our understanding of the complex, intersectional nature of social participation and marginalization.

Operationalization of intersectionality in physical activity and sport research: A systematic scoping review.

Participation in and opportunities for physical activity (PA) and sports (PA inclusively hereafter) are known to vary across individuals with different social positions. Intersectionality theory may help us to better understand the complex processes of multiple interlocking systems of oppression and privilege shaped by intersections of individuals' social categories. The objectives of this systematic scoping review were (1) to summarize the findings of articles examining PA claimed operationalization of intersectionality and (2) to identify the scope and gaps pertaining to the operationalization of intersectionality in PA research. A search was conducted in September 2019 in seven electronic databases (e.g., SPORTDiscus, Scopus, Web of Science) for relevant research articles written in English. Key search terms included "intersectionality" AND "physical activity" OR "sport". Database searches, data screening and extraction, and narrative synthesis were conducted between September 2019 and May 2020. Of 16564 articles identified, 45 articles were included in this review. The majority of included articles used qualitative methods (n = 41), with two quantitative and two mixed-methods articles. The most frequently observed intersectional social position was sex/gender + race/ethnicity (n = 11), followed by sex/gender + race/ethnicity + sexuality (n = 6) and sex/gender + race/ethnicity + religion (n = 6). Most qualitative studies (n = 38) explicitly claimed operationalization of intersectionality as a key theoretical framework, and over half of these studies (n = 27) implicitly used intra-categorical intersectionality. Two quantitative studies were identified which examined a number of intersections simultaneously using inter-categorical intersectionality. Complex processes of individual and social-structural level factors that drive inequalities in PA opportunities and participation could be better elucidated with the operationalization of intersectionality theory. Intersectionality theory may serve as a useful framework in both qualitative and quantitative investigations. Advancement in quantitative intersectionality is critical in order to produce knowledge that could inform more inclusive PA promotion efforts.