Post on 24-Feb-2016
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GENDER AND SPORTS
Participation Most sports around the world have been
defined as men’s activities and women have been excluded or discouraged from participating in many sports through most of the 20th century
The single most dramatic change in the world of sports in the past generation has been the increase and participation of girls and women in sport
Reasons for an Increase in Participation
New Opportunities Prior to 1970’s women did not play sports
because sport teams did not exist New opportunities have come from political
pressure or gov’t legislation Gov’t Equal Rights Legislation *Title IX of the Educational Amendment of 1972 *Official rights in other countries are controlled
by men who often see participation as disruptive of the social and moral order
Reasons for an Increase in Participation
Global Women’s Rights Movement Has emphasized that females are enhanced as
human beings when they develop their intellectual and physical abilities
Has redefined occupational/family roles Has fueled national/international political
action Expanding Health and Fitness Movement Awareness has encouraged women to seek
opportunities to play sports Muscles are more widely accepted
Reasons for an Increase in Participation
Increased Media Coverage Seeing women on tv and
reading about them encourage women and girls to be active
1999 World Cup/1996 Olympic Games
Women make up half of the world’s population and half of the world’s consumers
NBC experienced high ratings when it targeted women during the 175 hours of coverage of the Atlanta Olympics
Magnificent 7 Documentary: Anything To Win
Reasons to be Cautious When Predicting Future Participation
Budget cutbacks (#1 reason $$$$) Resistance to gov’t regulations Backlash among those who resent
changes favoring strong women Continued emphasis on “cosmetic
fitness” Homophobia and the fear of being
labeled “lesbian”
Gender Fairness Women/girls have been steered into sports
unrelated to strength, power and speed—the traits associated with masculinity
Olympic sports figures IOC had no women members from 1894-1981 1984- women could run the marathon in the
games, “Women need to be protected from these demanding events”
HS in GA are far from complying with the law Gender Equity - Georgia's Title IX Companion Law Ta
rgets Rampant Gender Inequities
Inequality Female athletes in most N. America
hs and colleges seldom receive the same support enjoyed by the boys and men
Gender trends for US college coaching and administration
Over 90% of all national team coaches are men
IOC is only made up of 10% females
Reasons for Underrepresentation
Men have well established connections Most women don’t have strategic
professional connections and networks to compete with males
Support systems and professional development are scarce
Perceptions There's No Crying in Baseball
Seldom organized to be sensitive to the family responsibilities
Sexual harassment is more likely to be anticipated
Promoting Gender Equity Confront discriminatory practices Insist on fair and open employment Keep a gender equity report card Recruit and train women to fill positions Create a supportive network for women Use women’s hiring networks
Homophobia and Challenges Faced
Gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered people are seen as being outside of normative boundaries and the same is true in sports
The myth that all female athletes are lesbians has been used for nearly a century to exclude and discourage women from playing sports
Myths have created a sense of loneliness and isolation, combined with fears about being outed
Myths have created forms of discrimination experienced by lesbians seeking jobs or promotions
Created fears among heterosexual women about relating to lesbian teammates and coaches
Identity Mang’t Strategies Lesbians are faced with one of these:
Being completely in the closet Passing as heterosexual Covering lesbian identity Being “out” by not covering identity in all
situations Being “out” by revealing identity to
trusted others Being an open lesbian in sports and the
rest of their lives
Lesbians Often choose the “don’t rock the boat”
strategy Open lesbians must be prepared to
handle everything from angry hostility to cautious acceptance
Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova lost millions of endorsement money when they came out
Gay Men in Sports Men’s sports have always been key for
reproducing dominant forms of masculinity There has been much at stake in maintaining
silence about gay men and discourages athletes from revealing their identities
Message to boys, “Don’t be gay and don’t play like a girl”
Heterosexual men have developed threatening antigay locker room talk that keep gay men in the closet
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel: 2010 Review - Gays in Sports
Esera Tuaolo on Gay Slurs
NBA player Jason Collins