Encouraging women in sports, why and how.

?by Pallavi N B

Although encouraging gender equality at work and in education has been at the forefront to empower women, however, when it comes to sports, from media coverage to funding opportunities, women athletes have been inadequately represented.?

Of the six Indian medallists at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, three were women athletes. While surveys in India show that sports like boxing and wrestling are ‘unsuitable’ and ‘un-lady like’, some of the most popular athletes in India are women who sport in these categories. This uncovers the blatant sexism, gender stereotypes, and gender biases that are still propagated against women. Women have constantly proven that they are just as competitive as men but still face the brunt of discrimination with insufficient funding, unequal pay, and imposed gender norms.??

So why should we encourage women in sports??

Sports are proven to have multiple health benefits for women, including reducing the risk of breast cancer. Research shows that exercising as little as 3-4 hours a week reduces the risk of breast cancer by 60%. Sports also develops in players a sense of teamwork, and discipline, and prepares one to deal with both, failure and success in a healthy way. Sports is also intrinsically linked to better confidence, mental health, and body image.??

Within the gender equality discourse, there is much conversation about equal pay and intellectual labour. Given that the main argument against gender equality is that men are biologically stronger than women, sports becomes the battleground to squash these claims and build for unbiased equality.?

How can we encourage women and girls in sports??

Promoting girls' participation in sports is more than just a trend. It's a wise, effective step to enhance the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of girls. And we as a society can take certain measures to promote gender equality and inclusivity in sports.??

1. Recognition??

Increased media coverage of women athletes will allow other women to idolise and strive to work hard to be in the same position as their role models. This will inspire them and give them confidence and encouragement to pursue sports.??

2. Realisation??

It’s important to note that athleticism and femininity are not linked to each other but their own attributes. This will allow girls to understand that athleticism doesn’t affect their femininity, which will encourage them to take up sports.??

3. Support?

The responsibility of encouraging women to take up sports lies in the hands of the people around them — friends and family. It is time we extend our support to aspiring female athletes all around us.??

While there are measures that parents, partners, and loved ones can take to support the women in their lives to take up sports, there is also a need for the sports authorities to step up and provide equal opportunities to women athletes. This can result in more women’s participation in international sports.??