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WHY HAVE WOMEN HAD DIFFICULTY IN PLAYING MANY SPORTS ON THE SAME BASIS AS MEN?
The issue of equality towards women has politicised many aspects of life over the past century, not least sport. In nearly all major sporting events or tournaments women do not have an equal standing. ... Historically the playing field has not been level and continues to slant in favour of men. ... One must look at the very status of women in Victorian times and the lasting effect this has had on sport. It paved the way for the role of women in sports as it is today. Even when the medical myths were dissipated, the idea that women were too weak
to compete with men remained. By this point most competitive sports were under patriarchal control so participation was difficult, even if desired. ... (1) Both radical and liberal feminists have ideas behind how female participation in sports could be increased but an ideal solution does not seem to exist which is perhaps why even in these enlightened times equality is not unified. ... This did not include active participation in sports. Through the public schools system boys were
encouraged to take up sports It was believed that it created the necessary qualities to get
on in the male world, namely; the qualities associated with masculinity. ... The qualities sports bestowed upon people
were not thought to be desirable in females. ... (2) It was believed that women could not cope with the rigours of sport. ... Attitudes were very unfavourable, for example, Havelock Ellis was considered a liberal on the matter but he still considered women to be biologically inferior. ... This biological theory is one of the reasons why woman find it difficult to participate in sports on the same level as men. On first appraisal this appears a fair argument, it is generally accepted, the world over, that men are stronger than women. ... Hargreves points out that biological determination is influential in the general discourse of sports academia. ... (2)a number of influencial scientists at the time used different arguments toportray women as passive victims of their biology. ... (4) This perhaps goes some way to proving that it is not in fact the biological differences between men and women which make it difficult to compete in sports but the supposed differences imposed on birth. Professor Cashmoore perhaps sums it up appropriately when he stated;
“The differences between women’s and men’s bodies are apparent but they respond to diet and training regimes in much the same way.”(5)
If this is so then it appears that, physically, woman have nothing to hold them back from partaking in sports with men except the attitudes of individuals that are still influenced by Victorian ideals.
The influence of the nineteenth century does not however limit itself to physical attributes, neither, as a result, do the problems with women in sport. The idea that women should look like women was one of the main reasons behind why the Victorians did not want woman in sports, this was equally adhered to by the women and men. When women were eventually allowed to partake in some sports it was within certain constraints, the sports had to conform to ideas about ‘feminininity’. ... This concept still affects women in sport today. The models of separate sports for women provided the historical basis for the idea that there should be ‘feminine appropriate’ sports and masculine appropriate sports. ... Unlike men, woman often have to justify their sexual orientation when taking part in certain sports. ... This is especially so in athletics and other traditionally male sports. When women were first given a chance to participate in athletics on the same level as men it was said that we would end up with an ‘unnatural race of amazons’. ... Men have been doing this for many years yet never has it been suggested that they were homosexual. From this one can not only see the troubles that face women when they do competed but the complete lack of encouragement it offers young girls. It affects the ‘grass roots’ of sports discouraging girls at the earliest age. When boys play sports at school it offers them eminence, a talking point with peers. ... Duncan, of the university of Wisconsin, suggests “in order to avoid compromising the femininity, many girls drop out of sports and physical activity altogether.”(8) Thus until the attitudes of the public in general change, the attitude to school sports will not alter and therefore the ratio of male female participation in sports will not change. ... (6)this idea is taken by most commentators on women in sport, eg see j. ... Hargreves (7) Hargreves pg 130 (8) the centre for research on girls and women in sport.
are not cross gender, for example male figure skating stars have the same pressure exerted on them as females to prove their sexual orientation. However the number of
sports that adversely affect the male in this way are fall smaller than the female equivalent.
The above goes some way to explaining why women have difficultly competing on the same level as men, but what about those who do make it to professional level? ... The media is the tool used to bring sports to the population but unfortunately the sports they advocate very rarely contain female participants. Without media support one cannot gain sponsorships therefore women’s sports tend to be very badly financed. ... Lenskyi has studied women sports stars in the newspaper and believes that what they are selling is sex, not sporting achievement. It appears, to receive media coverage; women have to be aesthetically pleasing as well as being exceptional at sports. (10) Boutiler and san Giovanni believe that any attempt to change newspaper coverage of women sports must begin with attempts to change this stereotyping. ... (11) If this is so, until the media changes its views on female sports, women will always find it harder than men.
Some female sports do receive adequate media coverage and funding, for example tennis. ... It goes back to the idea of separatism in sport in this instance, however it was a result of the desire of women. ... The number of woman directors on any sports board is very small. ... The WPGA and WTA have advanced their respective sports enormously however they are still not on equal terms to their male counter parts.
The list of reasons behind why women have difficultly playing sports on the same level as men is enormous. ... Whether it is because of preconceived notions of sport or puberty one cannot deny that women have less interest in sport than men. ... (11) boutiler pg 183
the behalf of women to take up a sporting activity the situation will not improve. ... Many women now work and raise families; they simply do not have the time to spare for sport. ... Women are child bearers and this fact cannot be altered. Many women who do play sports even at professional level take career breaks in order to rear a family. Men do not have the same considerations and this undoubtedly affects the level of women in sports. ... They discovered that women are likely to take career breaks in their late twenties, the time when a skydiver is most likely to reach competition standard. This is not a problem that can be solved and thus if it has a profound enough affect on female sports participation the balance will never be redressed.
As mentioned the reasons behind why woman have difficulty competing on the same level, as men are non exhaustive. One could argue the matter endlessly, with consideration given to history, the role of men, the state, media and many, many more aspects. ... However one must look at the advances of women in other areas of society and, how far they have come in sport already. ... Once the media encourages the role of female sports then attitudes will change, funding and resources will become easier to find and participation will increase.
Approximate Word count = 6531
Approximate Pages = 26.1
(250 words per page double spaced)
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