Sexism in sport article

Why your gender should never determine your success in sport

Who do you picture when you get asked to think of famous people in sport? Do you think about an even mix of male and females, who are both as equally able to participate and prove their potential through their sports, all whilst feeling empowered and strong- I very much doubt it. Let's be honest, your mind will become overwhelmed with masses of images of male footballers and basketball players, without the smallest consideration to the extent of women who are changing the face of sport every day. Why have we allowed sport to become like this? Why can we not be equally powerful in any sport? Why does the image of a female footballer make us ‘proud’ and be seen as a ‘monumental moment in history’- surely this should be the normality of our reality? How have we allowed sport to become largely dominated by men? Simple- our society.

The fact that women must fight in order to gain access to a passion they want to pursue makes me revolted. Sport should be equally accessible for all. Why should my gender determine whether I can play a sport or not? Women in sport are becoming a ‘milestone’ and ‘something to celebrate’, making them seem ‘brave’ for deciding to play a sport. Why has it come to this? Surely, I can decide any day if I want to pick up a hockey stick, football or tennis racket and know with confidence that I will be treated the same to any other male I play against? However, the harsh reality of our society is that this is not the treatment I would face as a woman if I decided to try a new sport. The likelihood is that I would feel bullied, intimated and fearful of facing a man or being asked to present any new skills I had picked up. This very reality makes me infuriated that we have allowed this to arise and I just pray that this discriminatory society isn’t the same one our next generation continues to face. Why can't we all not feel empowered by the thought of sport? Why do we need to create this repression for women? Our disgraceful society has made us begin to adopt this morphed view of women in sport, with expectations which need to be disconnected as soon as we can.

Our history is shameful for women in sport as we seem to be blatantly unaware of how recent breakthroughs in female sport seem to be. A shocking and dismal 40% of sportspeople are women, only receiving 4% of media coverage in 2020, clearly showing how our next generation will never be fully empowered and inspired, meaning this repression will continue for the women of the future if we do not act soon. The first official Olympic games was held in 1896 and all women were banned from participating. A woman, Revithi, received the name ‘Melpomene’, which meant ‘’tragedy’’, for completing the marathon after the men unofficially. Surely this is evident to us how we have made it seem wrong and immoral for women to compete in sport. No wonder women feel anxious to commit to a new passion, when this attitude has thrived for so long and continued to brainwash us for all this time. Men in sport are likely to receive 15-100% more pay for competing, in sports such as basketball, baseball and tennis. This means women must rely on two jobs in order to make a living, as sport is an unstable source of income. Women are also less likely to even receive the chance for a sporting opportunity as men are open to 1.13 million more sporting chances than women, highlighting the clear lack of access women continue to suffer from, preventing them from making the first prominent step into the world of sport. This pure disgrace doesn’t just limit itself to participation in sport too, as, between 1896 and 1981, on the international Olympic committee, there was no female representatives at all. How can we begin to improve the presence of women in sport as it has been prevented in so long? How can we inspire the next generation to embrace the beauty of sport?

Take the jump and do it- what will you lose?

However, some light is finally being shed on this intolerable situation. Women, at long last, are beginning to act up and against the forces of society which have held us down for too long. Our eyes are finally beginning to see clearly through the constant brainwashing and repression we have endured throughout history and standing up for what we want our future to look like. We are coming together to ensure our future of sport is equal and accessible for all. In 1972, the ‘Title XI’ was introduced, which was one of the education amendments, stating that "No person in the United States shall, on basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any education program or activities receiving financial assistance." This action taken was monumental in the events of women in sport and finally made it possible for equality to reign and succeed, which had been needed for our society for too long. This has resulted in large milestones and successes for sport as there has been 400% more college sport being taken up by women. We are finally beginning to break the ‘glass ceiling’ and smash the barricades which has prevented us for so long. We are, at long last, making the steps onto the road to equality, and we need to grab any opportunities as a clear way to improve our society for our next generation.

As a woman who plays sport, I am constantly seeking opportunities to prove that your gender should never define your success and confidence in sport. After joining Norwich Dragons hockey club, who I play with the Ladies 6s team, my confidence and resilience have completely transformed. Being surrounded by people who all share the same passion for sport as you, always push you to your best and support you to reach your goals has allowed me to feel empowered on the hockey pitch at every training session and game. The benefits of joining a sporting club are endless- not only do you continue to feel more confident every day as you gain the experience and skill of a new sport, but, more importantly, you begin to feel part of a community which boosts your sense of self-esteem. I can see the strength of women in sport which we have masked for too long and feel proud that I too am playing my role in this vital movement we need to take to ensure equality for all in sport and to break down the stereotypes that a woman should not play a sport because of their gender which makes them ‘weaker’. We need to continue embarking on this journey which will shape our future and allow our next generation to openly access sport, regardless of their gender, to allow them to commit to a new passion without the looming fear of failure or judgement. This is the society I want to live in- one where we all feel free to make our decisions for our own mental wellbeing rather than to benefit others. We need to engage in the sporting community to utterly abolish these previous archaic restrictions.

So, next time that gnawing guilt comes swarming into your brain at the thought of playing a sport because of the fact of ‘not being good enough’ or ‘being a woman’, break down that mental barrier which is preventing you from becoming the empowered human you always dreamt of becoming, and cease those negative thoughts which have repressed you for too long. We all deserve to feel empowered and confident through sport and our future needs to be equal to never allow this discrimination to occur again.

So, what will you do to make your difference to this injustice which reigns in sport every day? Will you join that tennis club you have always dreamt of being a part of? Take the first step and everything that follows will feel easier than you will ever imagine. Will you help me create the equal future of sport we all dream of?