Intersectional futures: gender equity, transgender inclusion, and the politics of sport governance in Alberta

Abstract

This paper examines the intersection of gender equity, transgender inclusion, and sport governance in Alberta within a broader context of colonialism, misogyny, and digital gender-based violence. Drawing on intersectional feminist theory, critical sport scholarship, and contemporary policy analysis, we argue that Alberta’s Fairness and Safety in Sport Act (Bill 29) institutionalizes gender surveillance under the guise of protection, disproportionately affecting transgender, non-binary, racialized, and otherwise equity-denied girls and women. Situating this legislation within historical patterns of settler colonialism and masculine dominance in sport, we demonstrate how eligibility verification frameworks reproduce racialized and gendered hierarchies while intensifying body policing and psychosocial harm among youth. The analysis further connects sport governance to escalating online misogyny, AI-facilitated sexual exploitation, and ideologically motivated violent extremism, illustrating how policies that normalize bodily suspicion intersect with broader ecosystems of gender-based violence. Rather than enhancing fairness or safety, such regulatory approaches risk reinforcing exclusion, stigma, and institutional distrust. The paper concludes by outlining policy and safeguarding interventions that prioritize privacy, self-identification, and structural accountability, positioning sport governance as a critical site where broader struggles over bodily autonomy, legitimacy, and belonging are negotiated.