Abstract The paper addresses the issues of women in sports, the changing trends and the struggle involved in accomplishing the desired place in athletics. It describes how the field of sports since 1970?s, has been the obtrusive battleground to fight for the equality of sex. he paper describes how women's participation in sports has increased dramatically since the passage of Title IX.
Table of Contents:
Gender Discrimination and Women Sports Participation
Role of Title IX in Women's Sports Participation
Increased Sports Opportunities for Women
Increase in Men's Support for Women Sports Practical Implications to Increase Women Participation in Sports Getting Results Through Increasing Awareness
Removal of Myths
Augmenting Press Coverage
Getting Authorities Intervene and Take Adequate Actions
Conclusion
From the Paper "Sports are another field where racial differences and gender biases are common. Women equality to play, to prove their abilities and to compete with men on the field is still a primary goal on the women rights association's agenda, those organizations working to ameliorate the contemporary conditions of the womenfolk. However gone are the days when women were willing to conform to the roles of a domestic wife, an obedient daughter and a dutiful sister. Women of today are not only well educated but they are also aware of their rights as human beings. With the signing of the Title IX, women became adamant in accomplishing equality of sex in the field of sports, apart from other disciplines."
This paper examines the lack of equality between the sexes that exists not only in the workforce, but in various areas of sports and athletics as well.
Abstract This paper explores the normally male dominated field of sports and athletics and the lack of equality between the sexes in this area. The writer of this paper contends that in most instances, equality of opportunity between the genders is mandated by U.S. law. This paper examines the Equal Employment Opportunity Act which is the major legislation mandating equality in employment as well as Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments that mandates a move toward equality in college sports. This paper focuses on the career of jockey Julie Krone who was inducted into the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame in 2000. The writer discusses Krone's battle with prejudice in a male-dominated field, that had at one time gotten her so depressed she had contemplated suicide. This paper details the various laws and achievements of exceptional women have struggled to bring about true equality in the field of sports. This paper also contains the text of two published articles regarding women and sports, that were used in researching this paper.
Outline:
Sports Equality at the College Level
Equality in Sports Professions
Conclusion
Works Cited
From the Paper "Krone made it in a man's sport and profession; it would be logical that other women would have followed in her footsteps. If one were to gauge the possibilities on the basis of a 1985 National Geographic production, The Ballad of the Irish Horse, one might think of equine sports and professions as the perfect place for women to break into a man's world. The father of a junior rider who competes in pony races, with betting and purses and all, said he didn't particularly like his teenaged daughter exposed to the dangers, but she loved it so much and was so good at it, he didn't have the heart to stop her. In the same production, there is also a women veterinarian at the Irish National Stud, breeder of many of the world's great race horses, and a segment on Lady Anne Hemphill, founder of Pony Club in Ireland, an organization to which many equine professionals once belonged."
Tags: women, gender, rights, equality, julie, krone, law
Abstract This paper explores the frequently argued case that in the interest of equality between genders that males and females should have the opportunity to compete in sporting events by playing on the same teams. The paper puts forth the argument that this is an unfair practice, as males and females are physiologically dissimilar and males would have the advantage and thus females would be excluded.
From the Paper "It is frequently argued that in the interest of equality between genders that males and females should have the opportunity to compete in sporting events by playing on the same teams (Costa and Guthrie, 6-8). Several female athletes have recently brought this issue to the general public; Mia Hamm, for example, has been referred to as one of the best athletes in the history of the world and was able to outperform her male counterparts in many ways. This suggests that males and females do have the basis for equality within sports, and the opportunity should be provided to allow competition between evenly-matched athletes, regardless of gender."
Abstract This report explores the question of whether women should be permitted to participate in all contact sports. A contextual analysis of this issue reveals that its assumptions are predicated upon historically-defined appropriate gender roles for women that are currently under revision in Western society. Given the increasing popularity of such sports among women, and interest in women's athletics in society in general, it recommends that participation be permitted with the caveat that they can only compete with other female athletes in these contact sports.
Abstract It is only recently that women have been permitted to participate in almost any sport, both in an amateur and in a professional capacity. This is largely due to the fact that our society generally views the ideal of female and male, as polar opposites. This view is the main factor influencing this issue, but not the only one.
From the Paper "Sport is shaped by our society, and our society is largely based on an ideal of female and male as polar opposites. This rigid notion of gender has shaped the way sport is practiced in our society. This is one reason why it was only recently that women were allowed to participate in most sports, both on an amateur and a professional level. It is now often thought that women have broken through the barriers and claimed sports as a realm in which they have an equal right to participate. However, the battle is not over."
Abstract This paper focuses on the impact of social, economic, and political institutions on women who participate in sports. It traces women in sports from the Colonial era to the 19th and 20th centuries. The author discusses issues of gender distinctions, self-identification, discrimination, weight and eating disorders.
From the Paper "The movie, "Love and Basketball", focuses on the love and basketball careers of Monica and Quincy, two African-Americans acting as a microcosm from the impact of social political and economic institutions on women who choose to make sports a career the film ..."
Abstract This paper looks at the many factors influencing female participation in sports, the benefits to women when they do participate in sports and the factors that discourage women from participating in athletic programs. The paper also examines Title IX's affect on women's participation in sports and looks at the latest trends in women's collegiate sports.
Introduction
Background
Title XI in Relation to Female Athletes in College Settings
Trends in Women's Collegiate Sports Discouraging Factors
Encouraging Factors
Conclusion
From the Paper "Researchers hypothesized that it is possible for a female athlete to be seen as both feminine and respected for her athletic roles because the issue of her femininity often is separated from the issue of her role as an athlete, thus allowing her to manage stereotypically incompatible identities without conflict (Royce, Gebelt and Duff, 2001). To investigate these hypotheses athletes and nonathletes at a NCAA university were questioned about these issues by both questionnaire and interview."
Abstract As the title implies, this paper evaluates both the history of womens' involvement in sports and the recent developments. The author blames the media for the present imbalance citing many specific examples and causes. She examines sports on the High School level as well as the professional.
From the Paper "I have decided to look into the issue of media coverage and the imaging of female athletes because it is an area of popular culture that I am not only interested in, but have become intensely aware of as a spectator of sports programming. I have also watched and noticed over the years that sports coverage of women is another means by which the media sexualizes women. Mass media, which has long been transmitting negative stereotypes of women, portrays female athletes with these same stereotypes on place."
Abstract The writer explores how female athletes have overcome many barriers and still have many more ahead of them. The writer discusses that by competing in professional sports, female athletes challenge beliefs, such as that sports are just for males. The writer suggests that perhaps due to the barriers that women encounter in this field, they should be encouraged to compete in professional sports. In this paper, the writer discusses how the female athletes are making a place for themselves in a traditional male dominated arena.
From the Paper "Women in professional sports encounter many obstacles in their road to participation. They must overcome the lack of institutional support and advocacy, gender bias and discrimination, the idea that sports are for males and males only and images of femininity and sexuality. Yet, despite and perhaps because of these barriers, women should be encouraged to compete in professional sports. Already current research has re-evaluated some of these beliefs. For example, it has shown that physical differences, one of the primary objections to female participation in ... "
Abstract This paper discusses the major problem of gender inequality in sports. This inequality reaches further than just participation in sport, but also to the media coverage of women's sport. This paper further discusses the theory that men are considered to be more competitive and therefore are deserve to be more in the media spotlight.
From the Paper " Gender inequality is a major problem in sports both in terms of women's participation and media coverage. Gender inequality has its source in gender stereotypes. Men are viewed as deserving a dominant position in sports because they are more competitive and sport is their proper sphere. Sexual difference and the notion of male dominance have a specific purpose, which is to guarantee that male dominance or hegemony will continue. My position is in agreement with researchers that media coverage serves the purpose of maintaining sexual difference and opposing sex roles."
Abstract For many centuries, since at least the time that the Greeks inaugurated the naked-men-only Olympics, sports were largely considered to be the domain of men. Sports were associated with power, strength, aggression, courage, assertiveness, competitiveness--and all of these attributes were considered natural to men, but unnatural in women, according to the strictly defined gender binary that dominated most societies, prescribing opposite (and supposedly complementary) roles for men and women. This paper discusses the historical view, held in most societies about women and sports, that athleticism in women was somehow unfeminine. The paper also looks at how this perspective changed in many countries during the 20th century.
Abstract This essay answers a number of questions pertaining to Sport Sociology, including whether or not it is a legitimate field of study and why it is an important area of study. The paper also provides a comparison of different social theories of sport and discusses how sport helps to socialize children.
From the Paper "Sport Sociology is a legitimate area of study and inquiry. Laker maintains that sport provides a common ground, a safe arena for interaction, because sport is a constant in the cultural milieu. The definition of sport derives from..."
Abstract The paper discusses how there are many stereotypes surrounding female professional athletes. The paper shows how women have made great strides into many professional and exhibition sports, but reveals that they are still largely absent from the big professional sports franchises. The paper further relates that women athletes rarely gain the same attention and notoriety that men athletes enjoy and are still treated unequally in the male-based and biased world of professional sports.
From the Paper "Historically, sports have always been a part of life, even back to ancient times. The Greeks invented the Olympics before Christ was born, and even then, sports were male-dominated. Women were banned from competing in the Olympics, and when the modern Olympics made their appearance in 1896, women were again banned from the competitions. It was not until 1900 that women competed in the Olympics, and then they only competed in three events: tennis, croquet, and golf (Editors, 2008). Throughout the 20th century, women made great strides in sports. Professional soccer, basketball, and football leagues have sprung up for women, and women are some of the most well-known and respected tennis, track and field, and gymnastics stars in the world. Women dominate some sports, but they still do not receive the same pay and attention as professional male athletes, and this continues even today, when most people consider themselves open and even supportive of women's sports."
Abstract This paper examines four essays on women in sports that focus on how social, economic, and political institutions often marginalize female athletes in U.S. society. It analyzes the historical view that women are inferior to men with regard to athletic prowess. It also includes discussions on political institutions including legislation, colleges and universities.
From the Paper "A history of sport and women in sport in the United States illustrates how various social economic and political institutions impact the individuals who participate in sport. Historically women have often been viewed ..."
Abstract This paper examines how gender bias in education refers to the persistent gender gap that exists in the field of education and how various strategies have been adopted and several reforms have been introduced to tackle this issue. It looks at how women are always taught to be less aggressive and less assertive than their male counterparts, and for this reason, they tend to stay away from more competitive or professional fields of education. It shows how some changes are needed in the way teachers handle this problem in the classroom and how vast literature on the issue suggests that teachers play a vital role in gender gap issue.
From the Paper "It has also been noticed that lower self esteem and confidence in girls is directly connected with teacher's attitude towards more assertive and confident girls. While teachers permit and even encourage assertive attitude of boys, the same behavior is not tolerant when exhibited by a girl and she is seen as a disruptive element. Reay report suggest that the reason why most girls choose not to enter the more competitive fields of education is because they have been conditioned to do so."
