Public Lecture: Social media narratives of being gay in physical education

In this talk, Dr Oliver Hooper will present a digital ethnography which explores how queer men narrate their school physical education (PE) experiences on TikTok. The presentation will reveal how TikTok can be a participatory space where LGBTQ+ users come together to collectively articulate the trauma, disengagement and exclusion they associate with PE through pop culture and personal stories.

Moreover, the presentation will demonstrate how – through humour, satire and shared storytelling – LGBTQ+ users form a queer digital public that challenges traditional PE norms and reclaims narratives of belonging.

The talk will conclude by highlighting why PE may continue to be perceived as an unsafe or marginalising space for some LGBTQ+ young people and consider what more inclusive approaches might look like in practice.