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.
It is male athletes that corporates choose to sponsor because they know they will get more coverage as a result. Colleges award fewer athletic scholarships to women. Men who win major events receive more prize money than women and more money for endorsements too. This all reveals discrimination that needs to change so women athletes have the same advantages as the 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.
Bigger events are often held for men and there are more of these for them to participate in. Less and smaller events for women means less reporting on the achievements of women athletes and increased difficulty in getting the attention of sponsors. Sponsors want to have as much coverage as possible for the money they invest.
Women are often perceived as much weaker than men and people still feel that certain activities like weightlifting are inappropriate for them. Data suggests that women actually experience just as many benefits to their health and self esteem from participating in sport as men. Certain activities like swimming, skiing and ice-skating show more of a balance when it comes to coverage but even when it comes to tennis and cycling, men still dominate.
Sexual harassment is another issue affecting women in sport. Women reporters are often still subjected to sexual remarks when trying to report on events. Women athletes have remarks made about their figures rather than their abilities. The men making these kind of remarks tend to pass these attitudes on to their sons and so the cycle continues.
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.
It is male athletes that corporates choose to sponsor because they know they will get more coverage as a result. Colleges award fewer athletic scholarships to women. Men who win major events receive more prize money than women and more money for endorsements too. This all reveals discrimination that needs to change so women athletes have the same advantages as the 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.
Bigger events are often held for men and there are more of these for them to participate in. Less and smaller events for women means less reporting on the achievements of women athletes and increased difficulty in getting the attention of sponsors. Sponsors want to have as much coverage as possible for the money they invest.
Women are often perceived as much weaker than men and people still feel that certain activities like weightlifting are inappropriate for them. Data suggests that women actually experience just as many benefits to their health and self esteem from participating in sport as men. Certain activities like swimming, skiing and ice-skating show more of a balance when it comes to coverage but even when it comes to tennis and cycling, men still dominate.
Sexual harassment is another issue affecting women in sport. Women reporters are often still subjected to sexual remarks when trying to report on events. Women athletes have remarks made about their figures rather than their abilities. The men making these kind of remarks tend to pass these attitudes on to their sons and so the cycle continues.
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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