Sport

Tuesday, 27 February, 2018 - 16:59

Inequality in sport

by ElsaBlogger2017

Women have made great strides in sports. And when I say strides, I mean this literally. Up until 1960's Olympics, women weren't allowed to compete in running races over 200 metres in distance. Now, since 2012, they can compete in every Olympic event. However, this race to equality is not a sprint, it's a marathon, and we're still not at the finish line.

Charlotte Edwards, Katy McLean and Kate Richardson-Walsh – these are the names of the female captains who brought their English teams to victory in the highest international cups of their sports. Have you heard of them? Mostly likely not. Yet when I mention names like David Beckham, Andy Murray and Lewis Hamilton, undoubtedly you will know of these sporting legends. So why is that? Because statistically speaking, male sport gets over 90 per cent of all sporting coverage in the UK. With no exposure to women's sport comes no demand and with no demand comes no exposure  it's a vicious circle and seemed to be a never-ending nightmare for female athletes.

However, new initiatives like 'This Girl Can', 'Girls Active' and 'Girls Make Your Move' shed a light on women in sport, who in the past didn't always seem to have the brightest of futures. These campaigns encourage every woman  small, tall, strong, graceful, flexible, sporty and not sporty (yet!) – to get involved in physical exercise and by doing so break stereotypes. Norway has become somewhat of a pioneer in its efforts to demonstrate gender equality in sport. It is playing a whole new ball game with the agreement to pay male and female football players equally. It means one can be a footballer and a feminist as equal play means equal pay.

So next time someone tells you that you throw like a girl, throw it right back at them because this girl can.

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Discussion

Do women's sports get the same attention as men's in your country?

Profile picture for user GeekGirl

Submitted by GeekGirl on Thu, 09/12/2019 - 10:42

In my country no. I have a friend and she plays football very well but the girls don't have the same conditions that boys and it's very unfair.

Submitted by 02347383 on Tue, 09/22/2020 - 16:52

In my country the soccer its the sport more play and all people can play that gran sport but sometimes the mens are a fools with the girls who play soccer.

In reply to by GeekGirl

Profile picture for user AKODA

Submitted by AKODA on Tue, 08/06/2019 - 09:47

in my country no. Cause here women are not that much poweeful as men to do such sport. but they like watching it anyway. they do not allow the women to play on their pitches.

Submitted by Swagger_D_Freeze on Tue, 05/08/2018 - 10:57

No. I have never seen a football match with women's i my tv. The only reason why i have heard about football with women's, is because of the europe championship. last year my country finished 4th place and then everybody spoke about girl football, but not anymore. In my country the only sport where we have a famous women athlete is tennis. maybe you have heard about Carolina Wozniacki. She is one of the best tennis players in the world. But otherwise, women's sport don't get the same attention as men's sport
Profile picture for user SLMT

Submitted by SLMT on Tue, 04/03/2018 - 08:05

No,absolutely not.Women’s sports don’t get the same attention as men’s in my country too.When women’s match is aired on television,no one is interested in them. When men’s one is aired,the atmosphere is totally different.Screaming and cheering can be heard everywhere.Even the price money is different.There’s a big gap in price money.It’s like earth and sky.This stereotype can’t be changed easily. Glass ceiling excits even in 21st century.There’s long way to go to break glass ceiling.
Profile picture for user Elsa007

Submitted by Elsa007 on Tue, 03/06/2018 - 12:47

I've heard that there are some proffesional sports which have a great gap between men's prize money and that of women, such as tennis and golf.
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