Brandon Downs, Noah Woodard, Rachael Bayuk, Kiana Franklin , Jaryn Trulli, Kelsey Ogle, and Morgana Gorre-Clancy
Around the time of 264 BC,
the Romans were participating in gladiator fights. These fights were extremely violent and only ended when there was one man left standing. This was an event that only men could participate in and in a way this set the bar for male-dominated sports. As time has continued on, male sports have become the main industry for professional sports. Soccer dates back centuries with many different versions of soccer throughout the centuries. The American Soccer league, which was composed of all men, was established in 1921. The National Women’s Soccer League was not established until 1995 and the first debut was in 2001. The progress of closing the wage gap is like taking the first step in a marathon, there is still a long way to go. Women have experienced routine discrimination in sports from the pay gap, media coverage, and viewership in contrast to men in sports who receive much more attention.
In the United States, female soccer players are making roughly 40% of what male soccer players are making, averaging just $37,800. A leading female soccer player, Alex Morgan, makes $450,000 from her team while similar male soccer player, Landon Donovan, earns 2 million dollars from his team. That is just for the United States, in other countries some male soccer players are able to bring in 10’s of millions of dollars (Money article). Sponsorships and endorsements are one of the major areas where athletes are able to earn more money. Some female athletes are sponsored by major companies such as McDonald’s but even so their male counterparts are still making more money in endorsements and sponsorships.
Ada Hegerberg during Women’s Champions League Semi-Final against Chelsea FC Women on April 28, 2019 (Photo by Action Foto Sport/NurPhoto via Getty Images).
Women represent roughly 40% of all sports participants in the United States but these athletes only receive about 4% of media coverage while male athletes receive the rest. Organizations such as ESPN and Fox Sports only give female athletes roughly 2% of air time.
When female sports are not publicized and highlighted in the media it makes it more difficult for female sports to become popular. When watching ESPN there is rarely any coverage of female sports and there are a few female commentators which emphasize the gender divide in sports, and people criticize female commentators about not knowing what they are talking about.
Three perspectives that were discussed as a group which includes the perspective that because female athletes don’t have high levels of viewership compared to male athletes, they shouldn’t make as much money as male athletes. This perspective is reinforced by the fact that if a sport has less viewership, the athletes would not be paid as much because the teams are unable to afford it. Also, some believe women should not be paid as much because their sport is not as interesting as men sports. The second perspective is female athletes are also professional athletes and that means they should make the same pay compared to male athletes. This perspective is reinforced with the fact that if individuals are playing the same sport or doing the same job, they should be paid the same without regard to the gender of the individual.
The media has increasingly been covering the issue of the wage gap in women’s soccer and men’s soccer. Major publications such as The New York Times and Forbes have published articles about the wage gap and the increase in viewership of women’s soccer. The Forbes article also reports that Nike has created equipment kits designed specifically for women, and the kits have gone over very well with female soccer players who finally have equipment made for their size and body makeup. There has also been some media coverage of women playing alongside men during charity games, and the fact that women had never played in the Soccer Aid for UNICEF game.
Artifact Analysis
Ada Hegerberg’s inaugural women’s Ballon d’Or acceptance
Soccer player Ada Hegerberg’s award acceptance nearly ruined by sexism. DJ asked her, if she knows how to twerk, right after she gave a heartfelt speech about believing in yourself. Many people on social media called him out for his inappropriate comment, leading him to apologize. This serves as a huge reminder that women in sports aren’t taken seriously.
Hegerberg is the first woman to ever win the inaugural women’s Ballon d’Or, yet the conversation after was solely based on one man’s sexist remark. No celebration of phenomenal talent, only, a new reality check and conversation about lack of respect and representation.
The seeming “normality” of the disrespectful question is reinforced by the DJ’s lack of remorse for his comment. Saying in a video response posted to twitter “I didn’t know that this could be seen as such an offense.” He also said he was stunned by what he was seeing on the internet. He didn’t think twice about disrespecting a woman, even one at the top of her game. This goes back to women athletes constantly having to prove they are worth as much as men.
The root of the problem here is that despite her amazing record, actually being considered the best player in Norway and France (and possible the world right now), she isn’t inherently respected the way she would be if she were a man. Hegerberg made it clear at the beginning of this year that she would not be playing in the world cup. She was instantly ostracized by the media. In an interview with CNN Hegerberg adresses the world viewed interaction, “Obviously, I was expecting a question about my football skills, how [I was] feeling to stand there and win, but in the end I was really happy to get the award and wasn’t quite thinking about what’s going on in the media and social media.”
Hegerberg, stepped away from Norway’s national team because of the country’s attitudes towards women’s soccer. Soon after the country made a change. The men’s team agreed to take a pay decrease so the women could have a pay increase. She has made clear she is willing to sacrifice her career for the next generations equality.
This equal pay story broke in 2017, but, the waters have stagnated. In the U.S. Megan Rapinoe and Brandi Chastain discuss the fight for equality with BUST magazine. When asked about exhaustion from having to play as a world class athlete and fight for their rights both agreed that they were tired and frustrated. Rapinoe described it as having to over-prove your worth. Women have been having to prove their worth for far too long.
“She’s the Man”
The movie “She’s the Man,” came out in 2006 and tells the story of a female soccer player, Viola, who wants to play on the male team. The movie both reinforces and breaks the gender stereotypes that we create in society for both men and women. The movie begins by reinforcing a stereotype, the women’s soccer team on which the main character plays, has their funding cut. No one bats an eye and the male coach even discourages the girls from trying out for the boys’ team. This is a common occurrence in sports, the women are treated as less than the males, the male coach even goes on to say that
“It’s a scientific fact. Girls can’t beat boys! It’s as simple as that.”
She’s the Man (2006)
This scene is important because, although women have come a long way, there still continue to be biases. The perpetuation of gender roles continues as Viola’s mother begs her to become a debutant and a woman. Her mom is implying that she is mannish because she does not enjoy dresses or heels, but she would rather be running around and playing sports. This is a typical stereotype of women who play sports, they are often looked down upon as less womanly. The movie also features a male character who breaks gender norms, Duke. He is Viola’s roommate and he isn’t the typical guy who is just interested in girls anatomy. Duke has a sensitive side, which debunks the gender norm of males being strong and sexually aggressive creatures. This movie is a valuable artifact in the discussion of gender stereotypes because it creates a scene where norms exist, but the characters do not fear breaking them. The creator of the movie uses a strong female lead to break the expectation that women are supposed to be clean and proper, while also redefining what it looks like to be a woman in sports. In comparison, the movie also includes a character who breaks society’s expectations for males. This movie, although made for young adults, depicts the gender roles that society places on both men and women and how gender roles can be broken. It is an important piece because it is about a young woman and a young man, it will teach other young adults that they can break the gender roles that they feel constrain them.
References
- Inequality in sports. Talks about young girls in sports and the hope for daughters to be able to participate in sports. Has a Nike ad about women playing sports.
“Gender Inequality in Sports.” Gender Stats-Education, Gender Stats, 21 Apr. 2019,
https://genderstats.org/2018/08/03/gender-inequality-in-sports/.
- The Sport Journal speaking on inequality and wage gaps.
Scheadler, Travis, and Audrey Wagstaff. “Exposure to Women’s Sports: Changing
Attitudes Toward Female Athletes.” The Sport Journal, 25 May 2018,
- The New York Times article about wage gaps in especially sports
Salam, Maya. “The Long Fight for Pay Equality in Sports.” The New York Times, The
New York Times, 11 Mar. 2019,
www.nytimes.com/2019/03/11/sports/us-womens-soccer-pay.html.
- Brooklyn Women’s Bar celebrated local women in sports for Women’s History Month
Grossman, Hannah. “Women’s Bar Association Honors Trailblazers in Sports for
Women’s History Month.” Brooklyn Eagle, Brooklyn Daily Eagle , 25 Mar. 2019,
https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2019/03/25/womens-bar-association-honors-tra
ilblazers-in-sports-for-womens-history-month/.
- The women’s soccer revolution
Richmond, Tye. “COMMENTARY: The Women’s Soccer Revolution – The Review.” The Review, 29 Apr. 2019, http://udreview.com/commentary-the-womens-soccer-revolution/.
- Why Nike believes 2019 is a ‘tipping point’ for Women’s Soccer
Kidd, Robert. “Why Nike Believes 2019 Is A ‘Tipping Point’ For Women’s Soccer.”
Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 8 Apr. 2019,
www.forbes.com/sites/robertkidd/2019/04/07/why-nike-believes-2019-is-a-tippin
g-point-for-womens-soccer/#66df9c826ee2.
- This year’s Soccer Aid for Unicef match at Stamford Bridge will feature top female ex-professionals for the first time, with former Blue Katie Chapman confirmed to play for England alongside men’s legend Joe Cole.
“Katie Chapman Confirmed for Soccer Aid as Women Join the Men at Stamford Bridge! |
Official Site | Chelsea Football Club.” Chelsea FC, Chelsea FC, 30 Apr. 2019,
www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2019/04/30/katie-chapman-confirmed-for-soccer-ai
- Why the US Women’s National Soccer Team deserves equal pay
Fuller, Mathew. “Why the US Women’s National Soccer Team Deserves Equal Pay.” The
Princetonian, The Princetonian , 3 Apr. 2019,
www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2019/04/why-the-us-womens-national-soccer-
- A comparison of pay between men and women in professional soccer
Close, Kerry. “Here’s How Poorly Female Soccer Players Are Paid Compared to Men.”
Money, 31 Mar. 2016,
http://money.com/money/4277843/us-womens-soccer-equal-pay/.
- A brief history of soccer
“History of Soccer – Soccer in the USA.” Soccer in the USA | History of Soccer, History
of Soccer, www.historyofsoccer.info/soccer_in_usa.html.
- Women’s soccer fight and go to court over discrimination
Alexandra, Rae. “While Women’s Soccer Fights Inequality in Court, Sexism Remains
Rampant in Sports Media.” KQED, 14 Mar. 2019,
www.kqed.org/pop/110334/while-womens-soccer-fights-inequality-in-court-sexis
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