Gender Inequality In Sports “You play ball like a girl!” This line was taken from the 1993 hit movie The Sandlot. In this movie, a group of young boys play baseball together competitively; in this specific scene, an argument broke out, and an the phrase “You play ball like a girl!” was used as an insult. Even though this movie was made nearly 15 years ago, there is still a negative connotation to this phrase. Women have been treated like the inferior gender for quite some time, and unfortunately, this practice is still taking place; sports are a necessary outlet to help change this issue. Some argue that mistreatment of women in an athletic light is no longer an issue, but I beg to differ. It is not uncommon to hear the claim that women are making too big of a deal about inequality in sports. Many individuals honestly believe that women’s sports are less interesting to watch, but most likely, those people have not given women’s sports a fair chance. Since the beginning of sports, women have been treated like less of athletes than men. Women have been playing sports since 776 b.c; the Games of Hera took place in ancient Greece and were held every four years. However, no women were allowed to participate in the actual Olympics (Frantz par. 6). I understand that this took place nearly 3,000 years ago, but inequality in sports still happens today. Kobe Bryant is the highest paid male professional basketball player. He makes 25 million dollars a year. The highest paid women’s professional basketball player is Candace Parker, who as of 2014 is paid roughly 3 million dollars a year, this is including the endorsements she does for Gatorade and Adidas. This is a $25 million dollar difference in salary. For those who say that women are making “too big of a deal,” $25 million dollars is a pretty big deal (“NBA Players Salaries par. 5). Even for individuals that are not professional athletes, there is still a gap in pay: “While women should be paid the same as men for doing the same job or a similar job on the same grade (it has been a legal requirement since the 1970s) the gender pay gap stands at 18 per cent, reflecting the fact that men are likely to move up the career ladder to better-paid roles” (Chesworth par. 11). Gender inequality is an issue in sports and in the general workforce. Women are not only feeling inequality in pay, but women also feel inequality in appreciation of their sport. Women are expected to enjoy sports like cheerleading, volleyball, and dance. In these sports, there is a disgusting pattern: the uniforms all include skimpy, tight clothing. From the short skirts of cheerleading to the leotards and tights of dance, women’s sports uniforms are barely there. Aside from the next to nothing uniforms, women’s sports have a negative feel about them. Sports that are supposed to be specifically for girls are less respected than sports such as football that are seen as specifically for boys. Not only is this inequality an issue in the athletes, but also in the individuals broadcasting the sport. Female sports broadcasters are less respected than their male counterparts. Recently, a reporter named Ines Sainz was disrespected by some of the players on the New York Jets football team. When Sainz attempted to do her job, she was interrupted by catcalls and what was described as “inappropriate attention” on the sidelines (“Women Sports Reporters Still Fighting For Respect” par. 1). Lack of respect for females that are associated with sports is taking place in every aspect of athletics. Cheerleading, for example, is one of the least respected sports in existence. Jennie Yabroff said it best in her article “In Defense of Cheering:” “Kate Torgonvnick, author of Cheer, spent a year following three groups-a four-time championship team, and all-girls squad, and an all-African American team...she discovered competitive cheerleaders are more like extreme athletes: daredevil adrenaline junkies who often perform exhausted or hurt…” (Yabbroff 524). Torgonvnick is emphasizing cheerleaders’ passion for the sport. Women in sports are underappreciated and overworked. There are many members of society that don’t understand the importance of sports. Some would even argue that sports have no place in schools and claim that there should be more emphasis placed on academics. They believe that making sports seem so important takes away from the academic environment and makes the scholastic part of school seem unimportant. These individuals are missing the point of sports. Sports give opportunities for people of all ages to make relationships, build character, and encourage exercise. Sports are extremely important to women. Women are underappreciated in sports, but they learn motivation by continuing to play to the best of their ability. Even though sports are part of the problem concerning gender equality, they are also, ironically, a tool to solving it due to the women in sports. Women have been viewed as less than men for generations, and sports will play a large role in ending this practice. Women have been a part of sports for thousands of years and should be appreciated just as much as men. While sports may be part of the issue that creates gender inequality, sports play a valuable role in ending it. The importance of sports is huge, and women are working to fill the gap in appreciation between women and men.
Works Cited
ESPN, editor. “NBA Player Salaries - 2016-2017.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, www.espn.com/nba/salaries/_/page/2. Accessed 21 Feb. 2017. Frantz , Chris. “Timeline of Sports.” Infoplease, Infoplease, 2015, www.infoplease.com/spot/womeninsportstimeline.html. Accessed 21 Feb. 2017. Kimmelman, Michael. “Women Who Hit Very Hard and How They'Ve Changed Tennis.” They Say I Say , W. W. Norton & Company , New York , NY, 2012, pp. 512–523. Sheed, Wilfrid. “Why Sports Matter.” They Say I Say, W. W. Norton & Company , New York , NY, 2012, pp. 489–511. “Women Sports Reporters Still Fighting For Respect.” Talk of the Nation, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A238377719/OVIC?u=special_ovrc&xid=1799f147. Accessed 2017. Yabroff, Jennie. “In Defense of Cheering.” They Say I Say, W.W. Norton & Company, New York , NY, 2012, pp. 524–528.