Discrimination Against Women And Girls In Sports example essay topic

Sports are a very important part of the American society. Within sports, heroes are made, goals are set and dreams are lived. The media makes all these things possible by creating publicity for the rising stars of today. Within society today, the media has downplayed the role of the woman within sports. When the American people think of women in sports, they think of ice skating, gymnastics and swimming. People do not recognize that women have the potential to play any sport that a man can play, with equal skill, if not better.

Right now in some part of America, there is a woman who aspires to play hockey for the New York Rangers, but what she does not realize is that the media will not give a positive backing to her effort. This negative coverage will shatter her dream within a matter of seconds. Women today have found the intensity that drives people to play sports. Throughout time, women have gone through a lot within the world of sports. In 1999, Newsweek, published an article outlining the "Leaps and Bounds" women have overcome to be where they are today. The events outlined in this article include dates which have made history such as in 1920 when the first woman competed in the Olympics and won three gold medals, and in 1965 when Donna De Verona became the first women to a sportscaster on network television.

One of the most important stats within this article lies in the fact that women sports have taken off so dramatically that in 1996, the WNBA, the first women's pro basketball league is launched. It's hope was to create a revenue generating professional sport, that starred women. The launch has been a succesful one. But this accomplishment for women may have not been possible without the passing of Title IX. Title IX, aimed to provide equality within the sports world, and paved the way for the future of women's sports today. Many American are learning that the triumph of women's team sports is the result of Title IX.

The women who participate in such sports have no fear of getting dirty or suffering from the unbearable injuries that sports put them through. The women who come out and play sports are there for the reason that is lacking within sports today. This reason is why sports originated in the first place. Athletes participate in sports for one reason - the love of the game. Within professional sports today, the love of the game has been lost. We see that some players are no longer on the playing field for the feeling of victory, but are out there for the seven figure pay check that they receive for dedicating half of the year to their sport.

This is the beauty that is captured by the media. The media covers the purity that women's sports still holds. Women participate in sports for the love of the game, not because they will bring home millions of dollars doing it. With all of the frenzy comes the birth of something that has been tied to sports since the beginning.

Heroes. The youth of America has dreamed of the day that they will be able to step up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth in the world series, or make the last shot buzzer beater in the finals, or make the touchdown catch to win the super bowl. Men have always had sports heroes of the same sex to look up to. Now women have the opportunity to score on a pass from Mia Hamm or run next to Jackie Joyner-Kersey. Now let's look at some myths that surround women in sports today... MYTH: Football and basketball create revenue and are important because they can fund the entire athletic department, generate visibility, and lead to TV money.

Therefore, they should have large budgets. FACT: While it is true that many of the largest schools (Division I-A) have football and basketball teams that bring in profits, the vast majority of football and basketball teams actually run a deficit - sometimes a large one. "Ninety-four percent of Division I-AA football teams ran an average deficit of $535,000" (Acosta, Carpenter) per team. Ninety-seven percent of "Division 1 football teams ran an average deficit of $247,000" (Acosta, Carpenter.) Out of all Division 1, 11, and schools that offer football and reported their earnings, only 19% made a profit.

Of basketball teams at Division 1, 11, and schools that reported their earnings, only 24% made a profit. "Seventy-four percent of Division I-AA basketball teams ran an average deficit of $199,000.63" (Acosta, Carpenter.) MYTH: Successful football and basketball teams help spur alumni giving to the university. Therefore, football and basketball teams must be well-funded and competitive. FACT: The schools that receive the most from alumni giving are not the ones with the big name football or basketball teams. "Harvard, Cornell, and Yale Universities top the list with the most money given by alumni" (Rhubarb.) In fact, some of the colleges with the most alumni giving per student are women's colleges: Wellesley, Randolph Macon, Mt. Holyoke, Bryn Mawr, and Smith.

MYTH: Compliance with Title IX means the doom of men's athletics. FACT: Non-compliance with Title IX continues to mean the doom of women's athletics. Title IX does not call for discrimination against men's sport; it calls for gender equity. The aim is not to diminish the impact or importance of men's sports, but instead to provide equity for women's sports. MYTH: Women are naturally inferior to men in terms of strength and speed. Therefore, women just can't be as good at sports as men.

FACT: All men are not stronger or faster than all women. There is great overlap in the strength and speed of men and women. Because women on average have greater flexibility, a greater percentage of body fat (useful for ultra-distance races), and smaller size, they tend to be as good as or better than men in some sports. MYTH: Colleges can't help it if more than half the athletes are male. Women are just not as interested in athletics as men are. FACT: It is no accident that colleges have more men athletes than women athletes.

More money is spent around the country recruiting men athletes. The "institutional average for athletic re- cruitment for Division I schools is $139,000 for men's sports, and only $28,840 for women's sports" (Acosta, Carpenter). If recruitment money were spent equally for women and men, schools would have a much better chance of enrolling an equal number of women and men athletes. Megan insert Title 9 part right here. Research shows that sportswomen significantly are underrepresented in the sports pages and on television. Moreover, when they are covered, their achievements are more likely to be trivialized and devalued and their images portrayed as incompetent or uncoordinated.

"Men's sports still receive more than 90% of all electronic and media coverage" (Lydon.) Not only is the reporting of women's sports achievements sub-par, advertising using female athlete images is worse. It is not atypical to see ads of women playing sports in which the focus is on scantily clad athletes and shots are more of buttocks and breasts than heads and skilled play. Our culture has changed, but the media has lagged behind. Most people do not know that: "Since 1991, women have outspent men in the purchase of athletic shoes and apparel (over 21,000,000,000 per year, ) more women participate in sports and fitness than men do, in 1970, one in evry 27 girls participated in high school varsity sports: today that figure is one of three" (Keaton.) Our culture has undergone dramatic changes in the past 25 years with regard to recognition of inappropriate gender stereotyping.

Yet, the advertising industry in particular has been slow to reflect these changes. Images of women in general still are unrealistically thin and "twiggy" or reflective of sexual connotations. Female athletes most often are portrayed by models as women without muscles or sports skills. Athlete and non-athlete models are portrayed in sexually provocative or non-athletic poses instead of moving or posing as authentic athletically skilled performers. Despite the phenomenal growth of women's sports in the last 30 years, sports coverage in newspapers and on television and radio largely remains devoted to men's sports. Furthermore, when female athletes are the subject of reports and commentary, they sometimes are referred to in words that treat them differently than men, often in ways which downplay or trivialize their achievements.

So what should the media do? What kind of images would make women athletes happy? The media simply should reflect the reality of women's diverse sports experiences from grace and beauty, to physical strength, endurance, and power. A balanced and realistic view is what is absent in the media. Young girls and women from all ages, races, and social class backgrounds are breaking down historical barriers to their participation.

The media is obligated to reflect and perpetuate that reality, not the homophobia or stereotypes of individual reporters or advertisers, so that sportswomen (our daughters and sisters and mothers) receive the admiration, dignity, and respect they deserve, the same admiration, dignity, and respect afforded male athletes. The American woman has embraced sports and fitness, and she is about to change them in her image. First, though, the media must portray her as she is, rather than how she used to be. Megan insert women sports in college and high school. Insert lesbianism here. Gender equity will not happen by itself we have to work for it and speak out against discrimination.

The following are some strategies anyone can use to bring about gender equity in athletics. The strategies are organized in general from the least time and energy consuming to the most. Everything you can do will help. STRATEGY 1: Support Women's and Girls Sports You can support women's athletics at any age. Attend women's and girls's porting events. Do not be taken in by stereotypes that negate women's athletic abilities and deride women who perform well in sports.

Coach, athlete, fan and fundraiser are all roles that can build confidence and initiative, and promote women's leadership. STRATEGY 2: Join a Women's Rights Organization Title IX and other advances for women in athletics were won through feminist organizing. You can join (or organize) a feminist organization in your school, university, or town. Sponsor programs on Title IX and gender equity, and call attention to policies that unfairly disadvantage women and girls in the sports arena. National Girls and Women in Sports Day, the first Thursday in February, is a great day to plan activities. STRATEGY 3: Challenge the Myths Stereotypes unchallenged are stereotypes accepted.

Familiarize yourself with the myths and point out the discrepancies between myth and reality about women and girls in sports. STRATEGY 4: Speak Out Against Gender Inequity Breaking the silence has a tremendous impact. It puts women's issues at the forefront of everyone's mind and identifies them as legitimate topics to be addressed. At every opportunity -- in meetings, at conferences, and in the classroom -- point out inequalities in women's athletics.

Don't hesitate: feminists are the majority. In a 1986 Newsweek / Gallup poll, "71% of the women surveyed believe the women's movement has improved their lives. Three years later, a Time magazine poll found that 81% think the movement is still improving their lives" (Nelson.) With such data, it is clear that women's issues are supported and should be addressed by those in athletics. STRATEGY 5: Encourage Other Women and Girls Your visibility to women just starting out in athletics can make a critical difference in their future. Invite women and girls to informational meetings about athletics and the wonderful things they have to offer. Encourage them to see themselves as players, coaches-whatever role they would like to play.

Offer advice on how they can get their athletic careers started and where to go for more information. STRATEGY 6: Push for Gender Equity Policies Gender equity in athletics applies to three basic areas: participation opportunities, athletic financial aid, and all other athletic benefits and opportunities. Encourage local, state, and national policy makers to take steps towards ending gender bias by promoting and reinforcing gender equity policies and practices in the Department of Education, federal education programs, and in educational funding and research. Write to the Office of Civil Rights, your members of Congress, your Governor, and members of your state legislature to let them know you want gender equity enforced. STRATEGY 7: Speak out Against Homophobia The silence and fear that goes with a climate of homophobia is harmful to all women.

Speak out against anti-gay jokes or comments. Push your athletics department to adopt policies that prohibit discrimination against lesbians and gays. And take action when you think someone was fired for being a suspected lesbian (of course, check with that person first and work with her in planning what to do). STRATEGY 8: Publicize Discrimination at your School or University Is your school, university, or college in violation of Title IX, the federal law that prohibits gender discrimination in education, including athletics? To find out, answer the following three questions: o Are men's and women's athletic programs funded in proportion to the percentage of men and women students? o Are opportunities for participation for women and men athletes proportional to enrollment? o Is there an unmet need for a varsity women's sport (such as a club sport whose members want to upgrade to a varsity sport)? If you can prove that participation is not proportional, and that there is an unmet need for more women's sports, and / or if you can prove that the funding is not proportional, your school is in violation of Title IX.

Bring this up with the athletics administrators (who no doubt are already aware of it), and ask them what measures they intend to take to correct the inequity. Be sure to let them know about the numerous successful lawsuits women athletes and coaches have brought against schools in violation of Title IX. Starting in 1996, colleges and universities will be required to disclose funding and participation statistics to anyone who asks, thanks to the Moseley-Braun / Kennedy Amendment to the 1994 Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Beyond talking to the athletics administrators, you can also meet with college presidents and faculty concerning gender equity issues and the present status of your institution, and place articles or write letters to the editor in school papers discussing facts about Title IX, your school in particular, and your feelings about the discrimination.

You might also want to read up on sex discrimination or contact women's organizations for information on not only how to recognize discrimination but also on how to counter it effectively. STRATEGY 9: Develop a Media Strategy The media is vital to creating change. Never hesitate to contact the media and make them aware of actions, workshops, or other activities. Encourage reporters to cover women's athletics in your area. Local radio and TV talk shows should also be encouraged to devote programs to women's athletics.

Support women sports reporters and media coverage of women's sports. Similarly, you can call the media to task when they do not cover women's sports or do not have female reporters. STRATEGY 10: Consider Legal Alternatives Sometimes, despite the best efforts to correct a problem, the only recourse is to take legal action. Thus far, legal action and the threat thereof have been largely responsible for advances toward ending discrimination against women and girls in sports.

If you have been a victim of sex discrimination in athletics, try to settle your grievances with the institution personally; if your attempt is not successful, immediately contact the Office of Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education, and work through the regional office of the state in which the alleged discrimination occurred. Another option is to go to a private lawyer; either way, if Title IX violations are found and not remedied, the next step is to file suit. Insert conclusion here.

Bibliography

Vivian Acosta and Linda Jean Carpenter, Women in Intercollegiate Sport (Brooklyn, NY: Brooklyn College, 1994), 6.
Mary C. Lydon, "Secondary School Programs: Diversity in Practice", in Women in Sport: Issues and Controversies, ed. Greta Cohen (Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, Mariah Burton Nelson, Are We Winning Yet? How Women are Changing Sports and Sports are Changing Women (New York: Random House, 1991), 145.
Diane Keaton, "Out of the Closet", in Women's Sports and Fitness (September 1992), Amateur Athletics Foundation of Los Angeles, "1992 Olympic Games Program" and "1994 Olympic Winter Games Program";
and Bert Roughton, "Next Hurdle at Games Must be Women's Rights", Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 14 January 1995, B 8.
Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles, Gender Stereotyping in Televised Sports: A Follow-up to the 1989 Study (July 1994), 2.
Lisa Rubarth, "Twenty Years After Title IX: Women in Sports Media", in Journal of Physical Education, Recre-ation, and Dance, March 1992, 53-54.