Final answer:
Serious leisure participants may be marginalized due to societal norms, cultural biases, stereotypes, such as ageism, and a cultural shift towards more sedentary leisure activities. Racial and ethnic disparities in wealth and education also influence participation in leisure pursuits, further contributing to marginalization.
Step-by-step explanation:
Serious leisure participants sometimes find themselves marginalized for various reasons. Those who engage in serious leisure activities that differ from societal norms or dominant cultural practices can be overlooked or undervalued due to biases in representation and participation. Additionally, leisure activities themselves are evolving, with a trend towards more sedentary pursuits such as computer games and television viewing, which may affect perceptions and opportunities for social engagement.
Racial and ethnic populations often participate less than the majority population in leisure activities, which can be attributed to factors such as wealth and education. However, even when controlling for these factors, a bias may persist. Furthermore, leisure activities are sometimes seen as contradictory to societal values that prize productivity and traditional work ethics, and those who prioritize these activities can be marginalized as a result.
Lastly, societal expectations and stereotypes, particularly related to age, can lead to marginalization. The elderly who engage in non-conventional activities for their age group or participatory styles that defy stereotypes may face social marginalization. Ageism, like racism or other forms of bias, can lead to social and cultural marginalization within leisure contexts.