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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 20 th century
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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 Targets 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
