Gender equality in sport has come a long way but it still has a long way to go. Gender discrimination in sports media is one of the reasons why this type of inequality still exists. Big corporate sponsorships and the attitude of the fans are other factors. Without the fans, the teams would not be watched, money would not be made and sport would not be what it is today. It is still true today that while nearly half of the participants in physical activities are women, they receive only a small percentage of coverage in major newspapers and other media.
Money talks and this is where the disparity can easily be seen. Men still win more prize money for winning events and receive more money for endorsements from sponsors. Even the colleges offer more athletic scholarships to men.
Men revel in their physicality and look for ways to prove their dominance with their speed, power and strength. The field of sport gives them this opportunity and the media reinforces this all the way. The star status of football, basketball and hockey players is promoted at every opportunity. Many women are successful in these arenas too but one would not think so from the amount of recognition they receive. Even when they win gold medals at the Olympics, they do not receive as much attention in the newspapers and other media as the men.
This is perhaps due to the fact that perceptions need to change. The role of women still seems to be seen by many as a supportive one. They are the spectators, the cheerleaders, the mothers and the wives. Their own athletic skills take a secondary place. Advertisers do not help in that they tend to reinforce this perception in the way they portray women.
Reporters seem to be mostly men and to report mostly on men. Less reporting on the achievements of women serves to limit the possibilities for talented female athletes. When they are given less coverage than their male counterparts, they become less important to sponsors who want to see their logos emblazoned all over the place when they invest money.
Women are still perceived as being physically weaker than men, particularly when it comes to endurance activities such as marathons and weightlifting. However, there is no doubt from research that women athletes benefit from their activities just as much as men, enjoying significant health benefits. Reporting about activities like skiing and swimming are more balanced when it comes to women but even cycling and tennis is weighted in favor of men.
Women in sport are also affected by sexual innuendos. This is not helped by the fact that articles in magazines often do not only dwell on their sporting abilities but often discuss their appearance as well and other factors unrelated to their achievements.
All of these factors create a vicious cycle and prevent progress from being made. However, there have been some interesting developments such as the sponsoring of a website by some sponsors of sport that is devoted to female athletes and their accomplishments. This is a step in the right direction and hopefully the day will come when no-one has to suffer discrimination in any way when it comes to their participation in sport.
Money talks and this is where the disparity can easily be seen. Men still win more prize money for winning events and receive more money for endorsements from sponsors. Even the colleges offer more athletic scholarships to men.
Men revel in their physicality and look for ways to prove their dominance with their speed, power and strength. The field of sport gives them this opportunity and the media reinforces this all the way. The star status of football, basketball and hockey players is promoted at every opportunity. Many women are successful in these arenas too but one would not think so from the amount of recognition they receive. Even when they win gold medals at the Olympics, they do not receive as much attention in the newspapers and other media as the men.
This is perhaps due to the fact that perceptions need to change. The role of women still seems to be seen by many as a supportive one. They are the spectators, the cheerleaders, the mothers and the wives. Their own athletic skills take a secondary place. Advertisers do not help in that they tend to reinforce this perception in the way they portray women.
Reporters seem to be mostly men and to report mostly on men. Less reporting on the achievements of women serves to limit the possibilities for talented female athletes. When they are given less coverage than their male counterparts, they become less important to sponsors who want to see their logos emblazoned all over the place when they invest money.
Women are still perceived as being physically weaker than men, particularly when it comes to endurance activities such as marathons and weightlifting. However, there is no doubt from research that women athletes benefit from their activities just as much as men, enjoying significant health benefits. Reporting about activities like skiing and swimming are more balanced when it comes to women but even cycling and tennis is weighted in favor of men.
Women in sport are also affected by sexual innuendos. This is not helped by the fact that articles in magazines often do not only dwell on their sporting abilities but often discuss their appearance as well and other factors unrelated to their achievements.
All of these factors create a vicious cycle and prevent progress from being made. However, there have been some interesting developments such as the sponsoring of a website by some sponsors of sport that is devoted to female athletes and their accomplishments. This is a step in the right direction and hopefully the day will come when no-one has to suffer discrimination in any way when it comes to their participation in sport.
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