SPORTS AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

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The struggle for gender equality is that which has evolved over time, articulated by

pioneers and shaped purposefully by activist and women leaders who act as role model to the

once stereotyped ‘weaker sex.’ Sports have had a transformative role in leveraging the playing

ground, in a male dominated world by experimenting equality of both sexes, either male or

female. Sports have further proved to be an avenue for inclusivity albeit struggles and constraints

experienced by activists who since the 1920’s have bargained for equal power in the society.

Women’s role in sports and athletics have made a major impact, much more than their colleagues

in academia. Sports and physical activity has been instrumental in increasing the vigor of

women’s social movement as the examples of women’s soccer world cup, which apart from

generating awareness on gender equality, was a bargaining ground for equality of both sexes.

Sports and athletics in the United States has provided a viable ground to bridge the gender parity

gap and counter discrimination and prejudice that the society holds on women.

Efforts towards participatory inclusion with assumption of cultural acceptance has not

been enough in fighting for this cause. The 20th Century saw a mass entry of women into

American Sports, bringing with it a broader gender agenda and women movements. The 20 th

Century came with major shifts in economic structure, triggered by industrialization,

urbanization and mass immigration: there were changes in social life which altered structures

and family. Most boys become socialized with their mother, as their fathers left for work in

factories, in wars for prolonged time. Women movement gained momentum, and in 1920,

women’s right to vote was declared in passage of the Nineteenth Amendment. Women’s

participation in Sports and physical activities was instrumental in establishing women’s right to

vote. Role played by women’s involvement in sports and physical activities drew attention to
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women’s suffrage ,and provided a visual challenge in which women positioned themselves to

demystify Victorian myths of women being ‘weaker.’

During the sixties, during the times of civil movement women joined in their fight for

suffrage. Diversity and inclusion over the years was steered with women in sports and athletics.

Some women even went further to challenge men's physical sports like swimming. Amendments

made in 1972 amendment passed a bill that stated that” No person in the United States, shall on

basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to

discriminations under any educational program activity receiving Federal finance assistance”

Empowering women advanced to steered them into science and technology courses, and into

medical schools. Empowering girls and women through soccer, many organizations in the United

States were controlled by men.

Mentorship and coaching increased during the regime of the program, seeing many

women trained in various sporting activities through inter school contest. The period prior to the

great depression saw many men leave their families at home to go work far away, leaving boys at

the hands of their mothers. Organizations like Young Men's Christian Association, Scout came

up to help socialize the boy. Many females have excelled in athletics,as volunteers and for fun.

Participation of high school students in sporting activities have risen steadily through the nineties

to have reached millions of girls upto the year 2005. Black women were more involved,

compared to white women in challenging male chauvinism, in a society which regarded the role

of females in the society. The government's initiative to introduce youths in 200 cities of the US

sports and athletics has nurtured talents in games like the Olympics.

It is paradoxical that the US women's football team earns the league more revenue than

the male team. The team has gone ahead to win more cups than their male counterparts. Women
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Sports Foundation in their research to close the gender gap in sports participation primered with

advocates, activists for gender equality. Sporting activities and physical exercises are beneficial

to the body of a woman, unlike archaic dogma which barred women from sporting activities.

Sports have been noted to increase the level of concentration of learners, lowers the risk of

cancer , and boosts morale.

Sports has been identified as a potential source of empowering girls and young women.

Scholars like Bradshaw, 2002 have questioned conceptualization of sports ‘potential to empower

and disempower women. The society is dominated by men, women have advanced in sports,

which is regarded as male dominated. Participation of high school students in sports has

empowered girls and women.

Activist, and those who identify as feminist are pro women, and are together struggle to

end marginalization of black women. The Battle of the Sexes between Billie Jean King and

Bobby Riggs in 1973 proved women could do as good as men in sporting activities. This is after

Jean king won the tennis match.

Iconic women who achieved success both in courts and in public like Babe Didrikson,

Althea Gibson, Sheryl Swoops and Mia Hamm, the veteran goalkeeper. Models and women in

sports like Serena Williams and Rhonda Rousey bring an image of physicality, intensity, strength

and a competitive spirit which edge to close the gap of disparity. Cultural contexts lower

women, contemporary cultural iconography of female athletes have empowered subject and

feminist icons. (Coocky,2010, Heywood & Dworkin, 2003). The 1999 World Cup finals win for

the US Women football team was a historic moment which showcased the ‘girl power’. Third

wave of feminist movement was manifested by win during the World Cup compettion in 1999.
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Popular discourse on girl power prevailed with advertisements featuring female athletes and

women in sports.

The period during the 1990’s had lots of commercial advertisements featuring

successful female athletes.The tv adverts appealed to young girls, and brought to them a feeling

of empowerment and equality among the two sexes. Female athletes have encroached into men

dominated activities like weight lifting and gymnastics. Female athletes have posed to challenge

the societal stereotype.

Empowering women through sporting activities, and athletics have given them a new

image.Female athletes have stood up to challenge male chauvinism. Adverts which promote

feminism through cultural iconography of women in sports and athletics. Gender ideologies

articulating for a third wave of feminism movement seeks to end stereotyping of women.

Female strength and physicality, has helped to campaign for participatory inclusion and an

opportunity and to expect equality.

Sports have over many years been used as a platform for female empowerment. In this

case, sports have facilitated women excellence in sporting activities and have facilitated gaining

of global recognition. Deem, Rosemary, and Sarah (1998) demonstrate that sports have been

positioned within the sports and cultural sports as key pillars and a source of empowerment to

women and girls in the society. Women participation in sports is understood as a crucial

challenge to the theoretical and ideological construction of emphasized femininity and

hegemonic masculinity. In this regard, sports enhance distribution of responsibilities and

participation of both men and women in the society in physical and social activities. In this way,

sports have emerged as a sport that has empowered women and girls by challenging the material
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as well as discursive realities upon which their subordination, oppression, and marginalization

are based in society.

Sports have empowered women in a variety of ways. Cooky and Cheryl (2017)

demonstrate that one of the ways in which women have gained recognition in sports activities is

through its influence and impact on their lived realities. In this regard, women participation in

the sports have had a strong positive impact on the psychological, physical well being of women

and girls in the society. Participation of girls in sports has been noted to be of benefit to

cognitive, and emotional health of students. Ashton et al., (2007) add that the participation of

girls in sports is linked to particular desirable outcomes like reduced obesity, increased self

esteem and lower level of depression. Effects on cognitive, psychological and mental wellbeing

of girls participating in sports is beneficial. Research indicates a correlation between sporting

activities and improved academic performance to students who engage in sports. Physical

activities during extra curricular fairs organized by women sports advocates can improve girls

life.Women ‘s role in advocacy for girl child,in initiatives like GoGirlGo grew tremendously

during the millennium, to offer programs like Sporting Chance with the Women’s Sports

Foundation . The programs have reached millions of American youths in several states of the

United States. Life Skills like teamwork,good morals ,leadership and confidence are instilled into

young girls. Feminist, and women activists disregard women in sports and have iconized female

athletes like Serena Williams, or Pop celebreties like Rihanna.

Female athletes have facilitated cultural iconography in the society. Gilroy and Sarah

(1989) shows that throughout the modern historical events in sport in both America and the

world at large, women have played a crucical role in the cultural imagery of feminist activism

and women’s movements. For instance Kay and Tess (2009) demonstrate that the “battle of
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sexes'' -tennis match between a man and a woman-became a second wave in women liberation in

sports when Billie King defeated Bobby in 1973. Additionally, “battle of sexes' ' became a key

revolution and a symbol of women equality and women liberation not only in the United States,

but also in the world.

However, though sporting activities is fundamental source of women empowerment in

the society, there are many challenges that faces women participation in sports. For instance,

Theberge and Nancy (2000) shows that there is inadequate funding among women players in

many forms of sports such as Athletes. Women teams and women in athletes lack financial

support or lack financial sponsors. This makes them have an inconsistent money supply for

accommodation, travelling, and buying respective sporting equipment. Also, Nanayakkara and

Samantha (2012) reported that there is evidence of female misappropriation of funds and poor

budgetary allocations to the respective female football leagues in sports. Therefore, it becomes

hard to identify women with talents in the society due to inadequacy in finance. United states

soccer team filed a discrimination lawsuit againast the football ferdaration in an increasing battle

for equality in the society. Protest to perceived ‘institutionalized gender discrimination” The

females icons of feminism who excelled in sports to champion for the rights of the popople,

Seren William filed a law suit back in 2017 after she protested wage difference. Champions of

women's rights through involvement in sporting activities. Serena would now receive money

equal to those of men,Roga Federer. The Wimbledon’s governing awarded her $1.4 million for

the fourth time ,after a change of policy in 2007.

Today, women and girls in sports and athletics still suffer due to inequalities faced by

engaging in sports. Iconic figures representing feminisms like Serena Williams have taken

initiatives to demand equal prize money in Wimbledon in the 19990’s and 20000’s . Billie Jean
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Killer, the tennis superstar who defeated a male in tennis match founded a womans tennis

association,to oppose wage discrimination. This has led to female discrimination in sporting

activities. However, Feminists activism and advocacy as apparent in women in sports and

athletics offer insight on the future of feminism, and the role of female sport advocates who

excel in sports to foster gender equality. Women’s sports have served to bring the country

prestige and bring gender equality. Women’s social movements in their fundraising effort have

advocated for women in sports . Wage discrimination among female football team in comparison

to their male counterparts despite having the same work requirements. The female team have

won more cups,for example the US women;s team has a record eight appearances in world cup

and appearance Olympic champions.

There is a limited access to women sports facilities across a variety of sports. McDermott

and Lisa (2004) demonstrated that compared to many men football leagues, women have few

access to sports playing grounds. Furthermore, Lehman, Stephanie, and Susan (2004) research

demonstrated that men sporting activities are given priorities during planning. In most cases,

female leagues are given chances where there is no involvement in women activities.

Thirdly, there is limited publicity on female sporting activities. Gilroy and Sarah (19997)

demonstrated that publicity in women and girls sporting activities is not only a local problem, but

also a global problem. In this regard, there is a limited chance of women of the non-

governmental as well as governmental stakeholders to promote girls and women in football.

Most matches or competition covered in social media covered men's sports. As a result, women

sports have experienced a few fans as compared to men matches where thousands of storm the

stadium. For instance, women's world cup have experienced few fans and limited media

coverage on international platforms over the years. Shaw and Susan (2001) demonstrate that the
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media have given women football a “blackout” since they prefer to air men sports rather than

women sports.

Little attention is given to female athletes, this is despite the fact that there exists

persisting inequalities in women sports. Other gender inequalities like women’s right to vote,

reproductive rights, equal pay, sexual violence and gender based violence have overshadowed

the role of women athletes is fighting for human rights. It is a sad truth that sports have not

attracted the same attention and concerns as other women issues, though there exists a wider

gender disparity in sports and athletics. Women activists in the academic field have overlooked

the potential of sports and athletics in promoting gender equality in the United States. Activism

and advocacy in sports are manifested and articulated in a skewed manner.

Finally, Women sporting activities have experienced a negative perception in the society,

Saavedra and Martha (2009) reported that few coaches and sponsors are involved in sports. The

lower number of the respective stakeholders in women sporting activities is due to negative

cultural perception in regard to women sporting activities. This is a challenge in the society that

have resulted to many of the stakeholders quite in the already established women sporting

organization in the society, therefore, leading to failure. Additionally, Hargreaves Jennifer

(1999) shows that women who are actively involved in sports sometimes are viewed as have

failed in feminine duties in the society. The negative perception in women sporting activities

have discouraged women in the society to compete competitively in the society and less fun in

wom sporting activities. However, the societal changes outside and inside of sports have led to

generation of new expectations, gender norms, and ideologies that are dominant to femininity

and masculinity. In this regard, the negative perception in women's involvement in sporting

activities have gradually changed over the years.

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In conclusion, sports activities have played a major role in women empowerment

globally. The study shows that the sports activities have played a major role in leveraging an

equal playing ground in the male dominated world. Additionally, sports have been an instrument

that enhances social movement in women not only in physical activities but also in sports.

Women's social relations and movement have emerged and have resulted in social and cultural

changes in dynamics of gender relation. The study shows that sports have played a major role

and have served a powerful vehicle in women empowerment and gender equality. From the 20th

century, the study shows that sports have continued to serve and operate as stealth feminism.

However, female athletes and involvement of women in sports serve a crucial role in advocating

representation of feminism and iconography in the society.

During the early sixties, diversity and inclusion have been facilitated by women in

athletics and sports. The study shows that coaching and mentorship gradually increased during

this regime. This has facilitated many women involvement in sports, news organizations, and

many stakeholders involved in sponsorship of women. As a result, the participation of women

and girls have been noted to benefit some cognitive health and emotional health in academics,

have facilitated high self-esteem and personal acceptance among women and girls.

However, the study shows that women have faced a lot of challenges in sports. Such

challenges include inadequate fund allocation from the government and private sponsors.

Additionally, there is a continued negative perception of women involvement in sporting

activities in the society and globally. Most of the media do not support women sports as

compared to men sports. This has led to limited publicity of women activities and sports

globally. Additionally, the study shows that there is a limited access to sporting facilities

involving women. For instance, females have limited access to playing grounds and facilities
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such as attire. One of the major challenge facing women in sport is negative perception and

discrimination in the society. This has led to a lower number of sponsors and coaches in women

sports and athletics.

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