sport an gender
...to opportunities not only in sport but other aspects of life for women. The UK sex discrimination act established in 1975 and the US Title IX established in 1972 are two of the most influential factors affecting women’s participation in sport. Title IX states: - No person in the United States, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational programme or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Among sporting organisations these two documented legislation proved difficult to accept. “The outrageous idea that women would be as politically equal as men was disdainfully accepted. As a result of this the enforcement of Title IX was delayed for five years after it became law”. (Coakley, J. 2001, p204) after this law was enforced there was a gradual increase in women’s participation in sport. This increase in participation in sport brought about new opportunities and new boundaries to break. Sport especially in the UK and US began distancing itself from the old Victorian ideals and beliefs. The fact that women were allowed to participate in more physically demanding sporting activities, without being deemed unfeminin has meant that sport as a whole has taken a huge step in the direction of equality. Although there is one aspect of sport that is still hugely dominated by men. This aspect is media. Coverage of women’s sport has been and still is relatively minimal. It would suggest that it is the prejudice and stereotypical views of the male counterparts, why women’s sport receives such minimal coverage. Female sporting achievement must have an element of sex for it to be portrayed. It has to be socially appealing to men for it to be displayed by the media. It is as if “Female subjects are frequently idealised and presented as if reducible to a set of bodily attributes fit, with beautifully proportioned and conditioned bodies, erotic and posing as if sexually available”. (Hargreaves, J. 1994, p161) Even in sport today, as much as it has evolved, images of thin swimmers and gymnasts are displayed. The media is very selective in what is produced and published. It would suggest that by presenting female athletes of today in such a powerful context, the UK as a sporting nation has not actually developed that much from the Victorian Britain that was left behind those decades ago. Women still have to be looked upon as sleek slender feminine sex symbols by the male counter part. There has been a substantial increase in women participating in sport but there has been a massive underrepresentation of women in key positions amongst the sporting organisations. There has been a huge depletion in the number of qualified coaches sports administrators and in any position of power. The women that are in these positions should be cl...