WUNRN
Women & Sports: Levelling The Playing Field?
AKWOS
The 2012
Maria Bobenrieth, Executive Director of Women
Win, an organisation that uses sports as a tool to advance women’s
rights globally, spoke to AWID about what women’s participation in the London
Olympics and sports in general means for women’s rights and development.
By Amanda Shaw
Sports and Stereotypes
Women’s participation in sports[i] varies geographically
and historically[ii] and social
differences such as class, gender,[iii]age, race, sexuality
and ability (among others) all influence what sports “count” and who gets to
play. Sports are especially important sites for (re)producing ideas about
femininity and masculinity, and the playing field is far from level -- males
bodies are assumed to be ‘naturally’ bigger, stronger and faster than female
bodies. Dworkin and Messner
linked the development of organized sports to attempts to establish the
“natural” superiority of white, middle-class males over women and race- and
class-subordinated groups.[iv] Feminist
movements have called for the redefinition of sports[v] and have fought to broaden women’s
participation in existing sports through, for example, legislation such as Title IX in the U.S.
Maria Bobenrieth believes that “Girls want
to play, every where in the world, given the opportunity -- girls play sports.
It’s not just a Western thing, it’s not just a developed and developing country
question. If you throw a ball out into kids, girls will play, every bit as hard
as boys.” She goes on to say that “the barriers that prevent women from
participating in sports are the same ones that prevent them from participating
in broader society – poverty, cultural norms, sexism.” These barriers can
materialize as gender norms that restrict or discourage women’s participation
in certain sports or in physical activity generally; unequal access to or lack
of sports programs for women; poor nutrition and health; lack of leisure time
and financial resources and; risks of violence and sexual harassment in sports
arenas.
The 2012
“When it was about Apartheid, when it was
about other social issues, it seemed unfathomable that we would let countries
compete who weren’t allowing all of their citizens to participate, and somehow
in sport, it still felt okay to exclude women. Up until
Indeed, the London Olympics were historic
for women’s participation in many ways. As has been widely noted,[vi] all participating
countries agreed to include women on their Olympic teams, with
Women’s outstanding athletic performances also
directly challenged gender stereotypes about women and competition, “completely
throw[ing] out the window the idea that women aren’t competitive or aren’t
athletes” Bobenrieth asserts. Female Olympians spoke directly about how sexism affects women's
participation in sports and took sexist commentaries head on.
There was also greater visibility and speaking out by lgbt athletes at this
year’s games. Bobenrieth describes the Olympics as a “microcosm” of larger
society, where gender and other inequalities
both come to light and are challenged, “It became so obvious, the sexism that
still exists around the world. [The Olympics were] kind of an amazing moment to
watch it be called out and to have really concrete ways to celebrate the
battles that are still out there for women to achieve their rights and
equity.”
But the struggles continue. At the
professional level, female athletes face higher costs, have fewer sponsorship
opportunities, and are often subject to media coverage that objectifiesthem. They
remain underrepresented in leadership positions in sports management[viii] and in the Olympic Movement.[ix] At the Olympics,
these battles manifest in disparities in resources allocated
to female teams, the elimination of women-only sports and sexist media coverage
focusing on female athletes’ appearance rather than their performance,
to name a few. And in spite of laudable goals, the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) has a mixed record on promoting women’s participation at the
games which includes controversial dress codes and sex-testing policies that
may disproportionately impact women of color, reinforce
gender binaries, and cast doubt on
strong female athletic performances.
Sports for Women’s Rights and Development
Various UN processes
establish sports as a human right and development goal with positive mental and
physical benefits that help both women and men"do better in life."
The Brighton Declaration and Windhoek Call for Action
emphasize the need for promoting gender equality in sports; and girls who play
sports are said to be more likely to attend school and complete their
education, be healthier and even earn more.[x] But whether girls
continue playing sports has a lot to do with the social pressures they face,
how they view themselves and the expectations of women in the societies where
they play.
Though these efforts focus on sports as a
goal in itself, Maria Bobenrieth sees the value of sports as a tool to
promote women’s rights more broadly. Women Win believe that
“one win leads to another... because we believe if girls can win a small
win around sports, it can really challenge norms and help them achieve their
rights in other areas of their lives. It can really transform not only the way
they see themselves but how other people see them and their communities… If you
open that window, if you open that door, if you say ‘yes I can,’ even if you
come in last, or you’re only on the mat for one minute and 22 seconds [like Judoka Wojdan Shaherkani],
there is something that opens up for all of the women in your country and many
of the men, to view you differently, to view women differently and to question
some of the practices and cultural norms that probably are not very healthy for
women in general.”
Women Win’s focus on sports as a tool
to promote women’s rights helps girls address issues such as gender-based
violence, access to sexual and reproductive health and rights and economic
empowerment. “We’re a women’s rights organization, with three rights
issues - agency, access and assets - front and center in what we’re
trying to achieve.” Participation in sport contributes to girls’ ability to
make decisions for themselves and gives them an opportunity to practice
leadership. Being on a sports team provides access to a social network
and girls become less isolated and have access to coaches and mentors.
And belonging to this ‘network of friends’ also facilitates access to the
assets in the ‘community’. “So a well-created sports program that is safe and
inclusive, we think really helps develop girls’ confidence, physical and mental
health, it builds agency, access and assets.”
The 2012 London Olympics marked many
firsts for women, highlighting how gender inequalities affect women’s
participation in sports; demonstrating powerful examples of female athletes
speaking up for their rights. By positively showcasing women’s achievements,
the Olympics and sports more generally may help shift how women and girls are
viewed and how they in turn view themselves. For young women and girls, sports
may offer unique opportunities to practice leadership and help to engage a new
generation in redefining feminism. In myriad ways, the Olympics have offered
hope that “small wins” in sports can contribute to big advances for women’s
rights. As these achievements mount, let us be encouraged that they will help
tip the pitch and level the playing field for women’s rights.
[i]For the purpose of
this article, the analysis is centered specifically on institutionalized,
organized and professional sports rather than physical activity more broadly.
[ii] See, for example, Hartmann-Tews, I. &
Pfister, G (eds), (2003) Sport and Women: Social Issues in International
Perspective, Routledge:
[iii]For a good overview
of the contributions of feminists to the study of sport, see Hall, A. “The
Discourse of Sport: From Femininity to Feminism*” in
[iv]Dworkin, S.
and M. Messner (2002) “Just Do... What? Sport, Bodies, Gender,”
in
[v]Dworkin, S. and
M. Messner (2002) “Just Do... What? Sport, Bodies, Gender,” in
[vi] For example, see
Longman, Jeré “Before Games, Wins for Women,” The New York Times, July
7, 2012. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/14/sports/olympics/before-london-games-wins-for-women.html
[vii]For more on how specific
Olympic games and how they are segregated, see “Official Website of the Olympic
Movement” http://www.olympic.org/sports
[viii] Acosta, R., &
Carpenter, L. (2006). Women in intercollegiate sport: Alongitudinal study
twenty-nine year update (1977–2006).
[ix]International Olympic
Committee, “Factsheet, Women in the Olympic Movement: Update, June 2012.”
[x] Clinton, H.
“International Efforts To Empower Women and Girls Through Sports” page 2.