After thousands of years, gender inequality is still prominent in every sport. There is still a red line between who gets to be known in sports and who doesn’t. According to statistics, women still receive only 4% of media coverage, which does not make sense since 40% of athletes are women.
Gender inequality in School And Professional Sports
Sports opportunities that are given to women are evidently low compared to men starting in the school setting. In fact, according to Title IX, most high school girls in America are given 1.13 fewer opportunities with regards to sports than boys. Moreover, most of the time, girls who enter sports tend to quit later on because of the unwelcome culture in sports that caters more to boys than girls.
Gender issues are not only prominent in the school setting but also in the professional field, where most women athletes don’t get the same pay as men. The gender pay gap is extensive and needs to be addressed, especially in soccer, tennis, and a few other sports.
One example of the gender pay gap in sports is in the World Cup for soccer, where the Men’s US team received higher pay than the women’s team in 2014. Needless to say, the gap between $9 million and $2 million is pretty huge. Therefore it’s essential to really make an effort to fix the gender issues in sports, not just in pay but also in other issues.
Creating equal opportunities
One of the major steps to achieve equality in sports is to give equal opportunities for young girls and boys. They should be given equal equipment to use, the same training and the same encouragement. An example of equal treatment could – and perhaps should – start with gender fluid outfits. In other words, providing styles that fit both men and women could be a small step forward in the right direction.
Along with the small steps, major steps should also be considered by influential people. Although there are people like Alex Morgan, an iconic soccer player who fights for women’s rights in sports—more voices are still needed to reach more corners of this matter.
Equal Sports Media Coverage
Lastly, it’s essential to give both men and women equal opportunities to be featured in sports media. According to UNESCO, women only receive 4% of the sports media coverage, and the rest are all about male athletes. Furthermore, women’s stories are also as impactful as men’s stories, so it’s not fair that men are given the spotlight.
Gender issues are present in sports and other aspects, so it’s essential to address them and try to improve them. It may take some time, but with constant effort, the battle can be won.
