While there are several studies showing the importance of social sustainability in different settings (e.g., Democracy and Governance: the Role of Sport Governing Bodies, urban planning, architecture) there is a lack of studies investigating social sustainability in the sports coaching profession, and even less research has specifically addressed women coaches. Using Barron and Gauntlett’s model of social sustainability (2002), the purpose of this study was to analyze the women coaches’ experiences of their profession and the extent to which it is a sustainable livelihood for women coaches. Semi-structured interviews with 20 women coaches were conducted from a variety of sports and performance levels. From a social sustainability perspective, the women coaches’ experiences were analyzed using Barron and Gauntlett’s principles of equity, diversity, interconnectedness, and democracy and governance to ascertain their quality of life. Our findings reveal that women coaches face multiple barriers and difficult working conditions in their profession, yet they continue to be committed to coaching largely because of the strong positive interpersonal relationships and social interactions they have with their sporting community. This study shines a light on the extent to which coaching is a livable and sustainable profession for women coaches today and highlights the importance of considering social sustainability principles to improve the experiences of women in the sports coaching profession.

This chapter summarises recent studies on the experiences of lesbian women in sport to provide a better understanding of the body of knowledge on this topic. First, the review provides an overview of research published in English on lesbianism and sport in Europe. Second, it examines the main international studies on lesbianism, focusing on the incidence of heteronormativity and homonegativism in women’s sports. Third, it presents the role of sport as a safe zone for the construction of lesbian women’s identities. The final section explores significant data related to sports participation and the experiences of lesbian women.