Personal profile
Biography
Lois is an early career researcher interested in exploring how gender diversity emerges in youth, school and sporting contexts. She has completed a PhD in the School of Education and Lifelong Learning at the University of East Anglia, supervised by Dr Kate Russell and Professor Esther Priyadharshini.
Her doctoral research explored how gender diversity comes to matter in Physical Education (PE) contexts in England. Using a creative post-qualitative methodology, the research explores how gender diverse youth and PE teachers become entangled with the human, non-human and material in particular ways, bringing about a range of emergences and exclusions. For example, how bodies become entangled with timetables, PE kits, friendships and sporting policy documents to bring about particular framings of gender and inclusion.
Lois has completed degrees in Physical Education (BA) and Social Science Research Methods (MRes) previously. She is keen on creative and participatory methodologies and the possibilities of co-production with young people, and is interested in new materialist and posthumanist theories. She teaches on both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, exploring a range of qualitative, creative and participatory research methods, as well as critical understandings of sport, culture and society.
Outside of academia, Lois is committed to empowering LGBTQ+ youth through work with a local LGBTQ+ charity, contributing regularly in a youth work capacity.
She is currently a Senior Research Associate on the Little Minds project, funded by the Joyce Morris fund. Utilising a realist methodology and participatory action research approach, Lois will oversee the development of the project as it explores how mindfulness-based pedagogies can be embedded in early years settings to support children's speech, language and communication development.
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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The ethical challenges of compulsory guardian consent for research with LGBTQ+ youth
Ferguson, L. & Russell, K., 14 Jan 2025, The Guide to LGBTQ+ Research. Brett, A. & Lee, C. (eds.). Emerald Group Publishing Ltd., p. 147-154 8 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
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The space between two closets: Erin Parisi mountaineering and changing the trans* narrative
Russell, K., Leeder, T. M., Ferguson, L. & Beaumont, L. C., 2024, In: Sport, Education and Society. 29, 5, p. 548-560 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Citations (Scopus)33 Downloads (Pure) -
Academic LGBTQ+ terminology 1900-2021: Increasing variety, increasing inclusivity?
Thelwall, M., Devonport, T. J., Makita, M., Russell, K. & Ferguson, L., Aug 2023, In: Journal of Homosexuality. 70, 11, p. 2514-2538 25 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile31 Citations (Scopus)173 Downloads (Pure) -
Gender performance in the sporting lives of young trans* people
Ferguson, L. & Russell, K., Feb 2023, In: Journal of Homosexuality. 70, 4, p. 587-611 25 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile19 Citations (Scopus)41 Downloads (Pure) -
Health, mountaineering, and the trans* experience: The case of Erin Parisi
Beaumont, L. C., Russell, K., Leeder, T. M. & Ferguson, L., 2023, In: Revista de Educação Física/Journal of Physical Education. 92, 1, p. S-131 1 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Abstract › peer-review
Open Access
Activities
- 2 Participation in conference
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European Early Childhood Education Research Association Conference
Milligan, E. (Presenter), Russell, K. (Presenter), Bartholomew, K. (Presenter) & Ferguson, L. (Presenter)
25 Aug 2025 → 28 Aug 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
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Joyce Morris Early Years Literacies Forum Conference
Milligan, E. (Organiser), Russell, K. (Keynote/plenary speaker), Dyer, H. (Keynote/plenary speaker), Themelis, S. (Speaker), Priyadharshini, E. (Keynote/plenary speaker), Nardi, E. (Management Committee Member), Lebeau, Y. (Management Committee Member), Bartholomew, K. (Speaker), Bradbury, A. (Keynote/plenary speaker), Veale, V. (Keynote/plenary speaker), Peill, F. (Keynote/plenary speaker), Flewitt, R. (Keynote/plenary speaker), Scott, F. (Keynote/plenary speaker), Joines, F. (Keynote/plenary speaker), McWherter, R. (Keynote/plenary speaker), Melvin-Anderson, P. (Keynote/plenary speaker), Moore, J. (Keynote/plenary speaker), Stubbs, E. (Keynote/plenary speaker), Williams, L. (Presenter), Morris, J. (Presenter), Hammond, S. (Presenter) & Ferguson, L. (Presenter)
3 Jul 2025 → 4 Jul 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference