Inclusive messaging from leadership reduces discriminatory attitudes and norms: A mixed-methods social identity analysis of a fitness facility

Physical inactivity is a widespread cause of chronic disease and is more common in minority groups, who experience discrimination in and exclusion from fitness environments. Organizational leadership can, however, foster inclusive norms and practices, and this may also be an attractive means for commercial gyms to increase their membership. The present experiment assessed an inclusive gym marketing campaign versus a conventional campaign versus control among 587 Australian community members. We found that participants who watched the inclusive campaign reported the strongest pro-inclusivity attitudes, advocacy intentions for minority group members in gym environments and intentions to exercise two weeks later. We found that members of the gym responsible for the inclusive campaign perceived their gym to be more inclusive and were less than half as likely to have experienced discrimination in the gym in the past two weeks, relative to active members of other gyms. Most people engaged well with the inclusive campaign, but non-members were less likely to believe it reflected the reality of the gym experience, with some seeing it as merely a cynical marketing ploy. Findings are discussed with a focus on how leadership theory can be utilized in practice to reduce discrimination and exclusion in fitness environments.