Women Athletes & Gender Inequality: The Unequal Playing Field - Research Paper

Introduction

Inequality has been a significant problem in the field of sports, whereby women are discriminated based on their gender. Most of the women who are actively involved in games have been facing several obstacles that have made them feel less valuable to society. Discrimination is often based on pay, different injuries, media coverage, among others. Male athletes receive better treatment that the women athletes in most parts of the world. Even among women themselves, there were cases of discrimination whereby some women are paid more money than others. Women now have risen to fight for their rights and equality while participating in various sports. They claim that they can do what men can do; hence, there is a need to be treated equally (Griffin 10). Various women movements have been formed, which have created a vigorous campaign to achieve equality in sports. Such groups include the Women's Sports Foundation and other feminist groups across the world.

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Women have been complaining about long that they receive less pay as compared to what their male counterparts earn. For instance, women paying football in any country are likely to be paid less money as compared to men who play football. Discrimination makes women lose interest in sports as they prefer doing other jobs to games as their source of income. For these women, they put the do the same amount of work as men but get disappointed when it comes to payment. For instance, when the U.S. women football team won the 2015 World Cup, they were paid a nearly quarter of what the men got paid. These women generated $20m more than their men counterparts that year. Also, they did not receive proper media coverage as their male counterparts. In recent times, women have realized that they have the power to change the situations and have set aside mechanisms to win their fight.

Court Proceedings

In the recent past, women have taken it into their hands to file their disappointments in various law courts. For instance, the U.S. women's football team filed a case against the U.S. Soccer body on wage discrimination. The court listened to their case and ordered the football governing body to pay them their bonuses and wages. The court also ruled that they will be received increased game bonuses, better travel benefits, improved per diem stipends, and more financial aids for players who were adopting children or expectant (Hovden 310). Since then, they have been receiving relatively increased pay but not equal to what their male counterparts earn. Most women football teams across the world have been fighting endless battles in courts to have their effort recognized and paid like their male counterparts.

In March 2019, the U.S team filed an agender discrimination complaint against the U.S. soccer governing body again. The women team claimed that the media contributed to this kind of discrimination, whereby they failed to cover games played by women as they do when male teams are playing. They claimed that they were discriminated against in terms of marketing and promotions. Lack of proper media coverage contributed to low attendance and merchandise sales. Many feminism groups have joined hand and have been campaigning for equality for all women athletes. Today, many cases have been solved, and women are relatively receiving enough money as their male counterparts.

Claiming Space

Most women football associations have campaigned for the provision of designated areas for women and girls to get themselves in sports actively. Previously, these spaces were designated for men and boys. In some societies, women and girls were not allowed to share certain public places, which limited their training and sporting activities. Although, I some instances, women are forced to be accompanied by a male family member who would protect them from abuses and discrimination that as likely to be encountered while practicing (Laucella 782). For instance, the Course Feminine, which is held annually on the streets of Casablanca, Morocco, is one of the situations that exhibits how women have taken the public space. The government prohibits any male member from accessing the area, which gives the women and girls ample time to fully participate in sports without fear of discrimination and sexual harassment.

Didactical Considerations

Gender equality has been taken into account in the sporting world, whereby both women and men are trained together by physical education trainers on how to officiate matches. Such training has seen many women being informed in the officiating of competitions across all games. Many female referees have been recruited to officiate big matches that attract attention worldwide, e.g., football. Also, some women have been empowered to take up the coaching positions, which were previously left for men (Jakubowska 306). The involvement of women in sports has dramatically influenced how society view games. According to researches that have been carried out, they show that men tend to become more productive when they realize that their female counterparts have the necessary skills required to run a given sport. Continued support for these women will ensure equality in societies when it comes to games.

Boycotts

Women have taken their grievances to the streets to force the relevant authorities to listen to them. Others have boycotted games organized by football federations to show their commitment to fighting for equality. For instance, Ada Hegerberg, a 23-year-old Norwegian who won the women's Ballon d'Or winner, decided to leave the Norwegian national team in 2017 in pursuit of what she said was a lack of assistance for women's soccer in her nation, Norwich. She felt sorry she could not join her teammates in fighting for the top award, but she felt that it was time for women in sports rose up and fought for the rights of fellow women (Laucella 780). She felt that it was a difficult task, but she was committed to accomplishing it in the long run. Another instance occurred in North America when a team of female ice hockey team threatened no to play to save women who had been discriminated in the sport for long.

Women in Sports Leadership Positions Worldwide

Women have been involved in bodies that are mandated to make sports-related decisions. Women have been underrepresented in the sports leadership position for a long time. Some women had to rise and claim their space in this leadership committees so that they are part of the decision made that mostly affect women. For instance, in 1981, there were no women in the International Olympic Committee. However, today, there has been a significant improvement of women representatives. According to 2019, there are 33 female representatives out of the 144 members (Adriaanse 550). They have been in a better position to fight for the rights of women by advocating for equal pay and media coverage. Most women's sports are being aired on television, unlike before. Continued support from feminist groups, non-governmental organizations, and government have seen the number of women representatives rise from time to time.

Also, women have been involved in other governing bodies that make decisions on a given sport. For instance, there have been more women representatives in the National Olympic Committees general assembly who are working tirelessly to ensure women's rights are achieved. Various countries across the world require that there must be a given number of women representatives in any organization before it is mandated to operate. Women have managed to take up top positions in sports governing bodies (Petty 488). They have taken this chance to promote equality by providing necessary training and education, which has allowed women to rise and fight for their rights that have been abused for long. Governments' fight for equality and women representatives in the sport's governing body has forced these bodies to recruit women to meet the constitutional requires. In doing so, gender equality and equal representation are achieved as women can participate in the decision-making process on critical issues affecting them, unlike before.

Women Advocating Against Gender-Related Stereotypes in Media Representation

Despite the efforts made by various bodies to increase the number of women and girls in sporting activities and a growing group of fans interested in women's elite sports, there has been discrimination and media underrepresentation in covering women sports. It is estimated that 45 % of women are in games today but only receive less than 10 % of media coverage as compared to their male counterparts. Women have risen and taken the roles in ensuring that they cover women's sports and broadcast them on various media platforms (Petty 501). In doing this, there is a likelihood of promoting and commercializing women's sports. Most of the games played by women are being covered by women journalists who, in turn, encourage and commercialize such teams. Previously, women's games had fewer even no media personalities present when playing, which gave them a significant disadvantage as compared to their male counterparts.

Today, there have been many television channels airing women sports than before. For instance, the Women's World Cup was broadcast on all television channels for the entire time it was played. In doing so, they received more money from selling their merchandise. Also, there has been an increased number of women journalists who come to cover live games unlike before. There are some journalism rules require that a given media coverage company must have a certain number of women as a journalist for it to be allowed to broadcast sports (Black 291). Women media personalities understand the struggle women pass through and hence, they have risen to compete for equal representation in media coverage. These regulations have encouraged women to take up journalism positions in covering live matches. The number of fans that have been interested in women sports has also been increasing from time to time since they can easily watch these games in their comfort zones.

Civic Education

Women's involvement in sports is essential, as games have the power to change the lives of the society at large. By training and educating women and girls, they are likely to develop teamwork, confidence, resilience, and self-reliance, which are more important tools of gender equality. Women's sports governing bodies have been to ensure that they enlighten society on their attitudes and views towards those women in sports. Most communities view women as weak beings who cannot compete well for these sports. Other parents have banned their girls from participating in sporting activities, unlike boys (Vertinsky, 1511). The sports bodies are now educating these parents and society at large that every child has a right to choose whether to participate or not participate in any sports. For society, women are not allowed to expose their bodies during sporting activities.

Women's Sports Receiving More Support From Sports Governing Bodies

About 50 million girls and women play football and basketball globally. Various governments have facilitated the formation of women football associations across the world. Every nation has a domestic women's league that is monitored and regulated by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Other women's leagues are closely monitored and controlled by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which has attracted more viewing and support from fans across the world (Petty 490). For instance, in 2010, a women's football development program was developed by the European governing body, which was funded well to support women's participation in sports. The program facilitated women's sports across Europe by funding these sportswomen well. The program has also offered women...