So we all have heard the facts and know that women athletes
get paid less than men, women’s sports are show less on TV, and women athletes
have to deal with a whole slew of sexist comments throughout their career. But
now it comes down to the real question: What is the root cause of the sexist
views of women in sports?
(1) Physical
disparities
a.
For: on average men
are much stronger and faster than women, so clearly sports are much better at a
faster speed
b.
Against: Many sports like Formula1 has no
physical barrier, yet no woman has been given a chance in a F1 competitive car
(2) Gender
differences rooted in culture: Sports make you less feminine
a.
For: less women play sports because it is not
seen as attractive and this is perpetuated when good looks are a factor when showing
women athletes on TV/in magazines
b.
Against: That is outdated thinking and now a lot
of younger girls play sports in Europe
**Extra credit: post a picture of a European woman athlete
on a magazine cover for her athletic ability**
Hello, interesting post!
ReplyDeleteI believe that more and more women are dropping sports at a young age because of the way women who play sports are perceived in today's culture. In order for women's sports to become more nationally recognized and broadcasted, more young women need to stick with their sport at a competitive level. A driving force that can help women do this is to have strong role models that have overcame gender discrimination, like Mia Hamm or Serena Williams. If more women play and follow sports, there will be an increase in the overall media coverage and national broadcasting, and this will ultimately raise women's salaries throughout sports.
-- Zach Jay
I would agree that most women have not been given the opportunity to compete in certain events, like F1. I believe that sexism is deeply rooted to the beginning of time and that these past cultures created them. Now people are trying to break these barriers, which need to happen.
ReplyDelete-Josh Jacobs
I think this is an issue that is perpetuated in a lot of different ways. Frequently, I think it boils down to a lack of demand for opportunities and media coverage. It's something that many people recognize isn't right, but it takes more than just having younger girls and women continue with their sports. The US Women's National Soccer Team has been extremely successful on a lot of world stages, but if there aren't enough outspoken fans to demand media coverage, they will never get the public recognition that they would if they were a men's team with a natural fan base. Additionally, the call to action for women to be treated equally on every playing field - in corporate American, on a legal/political scale and in sports - is slower than that of men. Traditionally, opportunities have always been afforded to men first and, until there is a loud and clear voice to be heard, women have never been granted a platform to perform equally on.
ReplyDelete- Libby
Great take on the root of sexism in sport! I agree with you that this is due to physical disparities, as well as culture. However, I also think it's important to look at ways that we can transcend these stereotypes. For example, at the University of Michigan, specifically, students attend the female sporting events with the same passion and enthusiasm as the mens. I think the real problem lies at the professional level. I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on college vs. professional sexism in sport.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all of the great input!
ReplyDeleteZach, I completely agree that this all starts with the children and works its way up. If we can focus on getting girls more involved in sports and staying involved in sports, even through their developmental stages, then we can start to make huge strides for women in sports.
Josh, I also completely agree. Any idea of how to break some of these barriers?
Libby, you make some really great points. In order to get more media coverage and a bigger fan-base for women's sports, do you think it would be beneficial to boycott attending male sports at a college level and having all college women go out to support the women's teams' games?
Sam, interesting you mention the college vs. professional dynamic. Something I find interesting is that although there are some really dedicated fans for both genders at the college level, there is a significantly lower number of fans for the women's teams. But it could be interesting to address the problem at the professional level and watch the effects trickle down to the college level.
I really like the example of formula 1 that you use here. That is something that I did not consider at all and I see it as an interesting perspective. These sports have no physical barrier, yet women are not allowed to compete on the same playing field. In My opinion, this is absolutely sexism in sports. There is no reason why a girl could not perform at the same level in these sports. In this regard, I think Danica Patrick is a great example. Patrick is a well renowned Nascar driver. She has had lots of success in Nascar. I assume gender equality just differs more outside the United States. I don't see any reason why women could not compete in Formula 1.
ReplyDelete- Chris Glaser
I like your example of the lack of F1 women drivers, but this also brought up other thoughts to me. Is this lack of racers due to the fact that women have not been given the opportunity to get into the sport, or is there a lack of interest from women to get into the sport? It would be very interesting to get the facts of this situation and look deeper into the cause of it. If this is the case of not providing women the wanted opportunity of racing, then the F1 community should really work to open the doors to women and expand the sport that has already proved so successful for men drivers.
ReplyDelete-Courtney Amiot
I believe that physical disparities are the root of the pay gap between men's and women's sports. This leads me to believe that the pay gap can be justified in certain circumstances. For example, while watching women's soccer, I've noticed that even the best players pass and shoot slower, are generally less coordinated, and make more mistakes. This makes for a lesser product on the field, and there is simply not a market or enough interest for women to be paid as much as men. I say this after a lawsuit was filed after the United States Women's National Team filed a lawsuit against women's soccer for equal pay. However, in the case of F1, this makes no sense, and women are clearly being denied equal opportunity. To counter my last point, there are sports that show a similar entertainment and physical level between men and women. For example, Serena Williams can serve a tennis ball faster than some men, and women's tennis shows a similar product to mens, so I'm glad Wimbledon has decided to pay each winner the same amount. A parting thought is that maybe tennis reserving the "girly" factor in the sport contributes to this given the way they dress. Of the few women's tennis stars I can name, one is Maria Sharapova, who gets constant media attention for not only being a decent player, but for looking beautiful on and off the court.
ReplyDelete