As the summer Olympics in Rio begin, people across the world get excited to watch their country’s athletes express their abilities. Gender equality is also gaining massive amounts of awareness lately. Females seem to be more confident and stronger than ever, but there are still many stereotypes about gender roles in today’s world. Let’s take a look at men and women in sports, for instance. Too many people still think that sports are more for males than females. Of course, lots of women play sports, today more than ever, but are women’s sports taken as seriously as men’s? Something tells me that answer is sadly, no.
In 2014, the United States men’s soccer team competed in the FIFA world cup, the ultimate competition between soccer teams across the world. They lost in the round of the final sixteen teams. They got paid $9 million for making it that far.
In 2015, the United States women’s soccer team competed in the FIFA women’s world cup. This tournament is equivalent in competition and rules as the men’s world cup. Our women’s team inspiringly won the whole tournament, beating Japan 5-2 in the final. They got paid $2 million – for winning the ultimate competition! That’s $7 million less than the men’s national team got for losing.
Those women worked harder than anyone else on the soccer field and they deserve so much more recognition and respect. That is just one example of how women are not taken as seriously in the sports world as men. Females can do any sport that males partake in, whether they want to or not, and most sports do have versions for both genders, but men’s sports competitions are clearly broadcasted and praised more than similar competitions for women. What do you typically see when you turn on ESPN? Most likely you’ll see sports like football and baseball – traditional men’s sports that are often viewed as “America’s sports.”
When the media does focus on women’s sports, it is often centered on looks and appearance. Some women are seen as too small or too weak to even be involved in a sport. Other athletes are judged for being too tall or too muscular. Society seems to think that this does not fit the stereotypical depiction of a woman. The idea that women shouldn’t be stronger than men is a standard that needs to be swept into the past. Women should be able to stand up for themselves and compete in any sport that they are passionate about. The media’s emphasis on a female athlete’s build or style takes the focus away from the athlete’s hard work, skills, and dedication to their sport.
The one sport that I believe really captures the notion that men and women can compete equally is equestrian sports. Equestrian sports, such as show jumping and dressage, are the only Olympic sports in which men and women actually compete against each other, and both genders seem to rank equally in competition. This does not have to be the case for all sports, but other sports should at least include equal pay and equal recognition for males and females. The love of a sport should not be hindered by a person’s sex, so let’s bring more awareness for female athletes around the world.
