When women enter sports, does it impact the gender order?
Since the beginning of time, certain roles and responsibilities have been associated with each gender and even in today’s age of technological boom and modern societies, the issues of gender order remain prevalent. I believe that the inherent prejudice that societies associate with masculinity and femininity is somewhat threatened when women enter sports. It is due to these biases that certain sports are deemed inappropriate for women as it might go against the body image that society promotes. Similarly, a high-spirited male athlete might be termed as masculine, while the same emotion when exhibited by a female may result in her being labeled as too sensitive or too emotional. The gender order is impacted when women enter sports because for many people “muscularity, strength and power” are the ideals associated with men (Lecture Notes: Gender and Sport).
What is a microaggression, and how does it impact women and girls in sport?
As societies today are changing and moving towards a progressive approach when it comes to dealing with gender-related issues, the incidents of outright discrimination have considerably reduced. However, the resulting microaggression impacts women and girls in sports every day. These acts of favoritism or “subtle biases” not only cause emotional damage but also hinder women’s progress. Objectifying women, treating them as second-class citizens, and using sexist/ racist remarks and jokes are examples of microaggression. For the public and the media, the most important criteria for judging a female athlete is that she fits in the feminine mold that is traditionally accepted by society. Subjecting women to microaggression due to the presumption that they are inferior athletes not only results in dismissive media coverage but also hinders their recognition and success. Through microaggression, everyone from the media to the male power figures emanates a constant reminder that women are neither welcome nor are they fit to belong in sports (Lecture Notes: Gender and Sport).
