One of the most glaring issues in
sport today is gender inequality and the stereotypes placed upon each gender
regarding their physical abilities. According to popular beliefs, men jump
higher, run faster, and grow stronger than female athletes, whereas women are
seen as more graceful, skillful, and rhythmic than their male counterparts.
Unfortunately for women, popular sports consumed in the United States value
masculine physical characteristics over female. This is most evident in the
sports we choose to popularize in our culture such as football and basketball
where controlled violence and physicality reign supreme. However, the
prevalence of male dominance in mainstream sport is not only an issue regarding
physical performance, but one that stems from gender stereotypes outside of
competition as well.
An obstacle
standing in the way of women’s popularity as athletes is western society’s longstanding
labeling of women as the nurturing, emotional, and passive gender. On the
flipside, men are praised as being physical, competitive, and aggressive by
nature. According to an article in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise, “Sport is considered as a male
domain, but more specifically, activities may be perceived as masculine,
feminine, or neutral”(….) To put it simply, sports have had a history of
institutionally dividing what is to be male and what is to be female through
popular gender ideologies. Yet this does not mean females cannot dominate
specific sports. Females, for example dominate figure skating, a sport that
requires finesse, coordination, and grace. However, in a society that values
masculine characteristics in sports, figure skating events rarely make
appearances on national television and the sport is virtually never used in
mainstream advertising. It is not that figure skating is not seen as a sport;
instead it is figure skating’s feminine characteristics that clash with the
traditional, masculine origins that make the distinction between an activity
and a sport.
Another way in which males have an
absolute advantage over females in sport is the level of appropriateness given
to each gender in the way they are allowed to express physicality. In sports dominated by males, physicality and
violence go hand in hand. Whether it is throwing punches in MMA or big hits in
football, violence in male sports is acceptable and often times applauded. Even
out of control brawls in male sports are glorified as society sees such
activity as a masculine reaction in the heat of battle. Women on the other
hand, do not have the same luxury as men do when it comes to physical expression
within sports. This is ever present in the way female athletes are portrayed by
the media. Due to socially constructed stereotypes, female athletes are
pressured into upholding a sexy and feminine image to appeal to the masculine
audience of the sporting world. Thus, many female athletes resort to emphasizing
their sexuality as opposed to their athletic qualities. A prime example of this
is the portrayal of female athletes on ESPN and Sports Illustrated magazine
covers. Female athletes who grace the cover of these magazines are typically
portrayed as sex symbols as opposed to athletes, in an attempt to verify their
femininity. Ultimately the media’s separation of sport and female athlete will
continue to hinder the embracement of
As a result of biological
differences and socially constructed ideologies, female athletes continue to
fight an uphill battle in obtaining the respect and popularity that male
athletes enjoy. To change this, women must somehow appeal to male fans with
their ability rather than their femininity and sexuality, a daunting but
possible task.
