Factors which show men and women are becoming more equal in sport

Factors which show men and women are becoming more equal in sport

Factors which show men and women are becoming more equal in sport https://www.theguardian.com/sport/willstrop-s-world/2015/apr/30/equal-pay-attention-womens-sport-squash-tennis-football Popularity in women's football around the time of the first world war but it was then quashed by the board of directors. Women's football has been recovering from that "frightening bit of rhetoric". A century later and successful talented female athletes are acknowledged and they are watched. However, it has been a long process. Sport is no longer seen to have a dangerous effect on women and brilliant female athletes have become part of the sport culture. Frome Billie jean King and Beryl Burton to Steffi Graf to Jessica Ennis- Hill. Even now with a push after recent history, how female athletes recognition and financial compensation for women is varied depending on the sport. There has been a push to give female athletes more recognition in the media for sports like football cricket and rugby as they are stereotypically seen as male sports. However, in sports like tennis, athletics and track cycling people see Victoria Pendleton as we do as Chris Hoy and Serena Williams as much of a star as Novak Djokovic. Andy Murray made Amélie Mauresmo, people laughed at this, this move will make more people aware that females can coach men and Mauresmo has proved it will work. Therefore other women will now be encouraged to work towards this goal and men will start to accept it. In the last two years on the professional squash tour, prize money for women has equalled the men's at there biggest events for the first time ever, it has encouraged more equality of prize money at events. Tennis has promoted men and women equally. On Wimbledon both sexes are equal on TV. There is no imitation that men are more important or a bigger crowd for the men in any way. "Attitudes have changed since the gross situation that existed early in the 20th century, but in reality we have a long way to go." Changes in Societal Perceptions of Women’s Sports http://sites.psu.edu/mallorypeterson25/2012/10/26/changes-in-societal-perceptions-of-womens-sports/ The first Olympic games held in Athens, Greece in 776 B.C only had men participating, women were prohibited from competing. Today, women take part in the same Olympic games as men and participate in the majority of the same sports as their male counterparts, showing participation in sport for women has changed on a massive global scale. As women have gained more prominent roles in society it has overcome the barriers to women's sport. In the 1800s women's sport consisted of recreation like horseback riding, tennis, croquet, golf, dancing and archery. It was limited due to the "social perceptions" of women as being feminine and being a house keeper and child minder. Sport for women during this time was seen for social interaction rather than physical activity to improve health. Since the 1900s the shift for acceptance in women's sport has been with the decrease in gender discrimination against women in education as more colleges were established for women. Young women began to experience more educational freedom and claim independence so they moved away from the domestic responsibilities. So, female sports became more than a social interaction.  In 1920 when the political discrimination against women went under a drastic change due to the vote for women over eighteen gained suffrage. The increased political responsibility to expend the female participation in other areas like sport. The image of women at the time still remained fragility during this time, society became more accepting with gender equality. In the early and mid 1900s was a period women started to participate in sport at a much greater degree, feminism was still defined in relation to an average female body. Female sports were characterised by the suitability of the outfits as they required mobility but also they had to be suitable for social modesty. Female swimmers throughout the early and mid 1900s had to wear bathing suits instead of blouse and bloomer sets. From 1800s to twenty first century there has been drastic alterations to attitudes and opportunities in women's sport. From the end of WW2 to the 1970s there has been an ever increasing growth of acceptance towards women's sports. There has been an increase in participation through high school and professional women's sports through the time periods. https://www.calvertjournal.com/features/show/4353/action-women-female-generation-changing-sport-society-Russia-Middle-East Todays generation of women changing sport society Today, female participation in both professional and recreational sport there is a rise. This is helping to promote gender equality and to give power to women and girls. The culture change has not just been inspired by high performing athletes but the "grassroots in nature". With new generations of women all over the world embracing a more active healthy lifestyle which is encouraging others to do so. A lot of these women come from a variety of religions and they are over coming a social, political and religious barrier to assert their right to an active lifestyle , and by doing so they are breaking the "defying gender stereotypes. For an example the skateboarding superstar Katya Shengeliya participated in the X games in Austin, she became the first ever Russian sports athlete to be invited to a prestigious event. Her attitude of just getting on with it ensured she was able to make it to the top in Russia  despite the lack of facilities to support her in Moscow. Anne Chicherova, who is an Olympic champion figure skater from Russia, sees its her responsibility as an athlete to share her experiences to inspire and motivate women and girls. She said “Sport and fitness are now a normal part of a woman’s everyday training regime, which helps boost self-confidence and independence,” She said it was most Visible in Moscow where health and fitness is constantly flourishing with an increase of women participating. yoga, crossfit, boxing, swimming and running is just a handful of sports, "a shift connected to much broader social and cultural changes taking place within the city." “Five years ago nobody was running on the streets of Moscow because it was perceived as a boring, out-of-date activity with roots in the Soviet Union,” said Chicherova. Women's Sport Week 2017: Gender prize money gap narrowing, new study shows http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/40299469 "A total of 83% of sports now reward men and women equally, according to the study commissioned for Women's sport week" Cricket, golf and football had some of the biggest gaps between prize money between men and women, but it has increased substantially over the past three years. In a 2017 study which specifically looked at prize money for world championships and events (not including wages, bonuses or sponsorship). It was found that 44 sports pay prize money and 35 of this 44 pay equally. In the ICC women's world cup in England and Wales there is a 10-fold increase in the prize money up to pot, from 150,000 to £1.5 million. Sports Minister Tracey Crouch said: "It is encouraging that remuneration for sportswomen has improved and we are seeing greater equality in professional sport. "However, there is still more work to be done to put women's sport on the same footing as men's. "Women's Sport Week provides a fantastic opportunity to continue to raise the profile of women in sport, celebrate phenomenal female athletes and champion participation for women of all ages and backgrounds." Women to get equal prize money in Tour Down Under cycling event "Riders in the Women’s Tour Down Under will receive the same pay as their male counterparts for the first time, the South Australian government has announced." On Monday the state government announced that from 2019 it would increase the prize pool in the women’s cycling event by about $90,000, putting the competition’s prize pool on par with the male event. The initial women’s prize pool had been about $15,000.                               “These athletes are at the top of their game, displaying professionalism, determination and skill during every stage of the hard-fought race,” the South Australian sports minister, Leon Bignell, said. “It’s only fair the prize money they receive is on par with their male counterparts for each stage as well as the general classification.” Overview I have found some relevant information about how prize money has become more equal in a range of sport. Facts from ranging from the change in social perception has been found and the evolution of women's sport which gives a big overview of the progression. I can now move onto doing my first draft of dissertation.