Female Athletes Stri For Gender Equity In Coaching

An on going issue facing education today is the growing controversial topic of gender equality in sports participation and it’s so call quota for achieving equality. The most notable action that has taken place as women continue to strive towards equality in the athletic realm is what is known as, Title IX. The basic ideas underlying Title IX are that “if an institution sponsors an athletics program, it must provide equal athletic opportunities for members of both sexes.” (Yoshida p.3) Simply put, Title IX attempts to achieve “equality” of funding for male and female athletes. The problem with this idea of complete “equality” is that no one agrees as to what

while women in world sports are often being misjudged. Male- dominant sports culture often come from the way women in society are viewed. (Brittney Griner leads men and women in the big twelve.) “It’s not how big you are it’s how big you play”. Female sports are highly underestimated. Watch and support women's sports because they work just as hard as the men teams do. “It’s as though the producers and commentators are thinking, ‘If we can't say anything sexist, then we can't say anything at all about women's sports”. Networks struggle to understand how much trouble these female athletes go through, just for there gender let alone being a athlete.

Across the world, society holds men and women to different standards. There are precise gender roles and stereotypes that are well established. In the western world, women are supposed to be nurturers, cleaners, and the chef. Whereas men are perceived as strong, independent, and athletic. When these social norms are broken, it is not uncommon for specific labels to be given, such as being called a lesbian. Over the past few centuries, these stereotypes and gender roles have been challenged by many women and feminists. An area where these stereotypes and gender roles have been under scrutiny and analyzed is in the world of sport and physical activities. However, traditional female stereotypes continue to conquer. Gender inequality has accomplished small victories but is still an enormous part of sports which is evident through the little recognition received for competitions along with the difference between men’s and women’s professional level of sport, being looked at as attractive instead of being talented, and the very few female coaches. Eventually, there is hope that the sports world will not be considered the masculine domain, and there will no longer be a legacy of bias against the female athlete.

This study is designed to bring attention to the lack of female coaches at the youth and colligate levels. Most youth and collegiate sports coaches are men in today 's world. There are many factors that play a role for this predicament. Many times in the recreation field mothers are viewed as the “team moms” and the fathers are usually the coaches. Research will show that the number of female coaches to male coaches at all levels of coaching is drastically different. The number of female athletes has increased but the number of female coaches has decreased. There have not been large amounts of research done in the recreation field surrounding this problem, but the research found in college athletics directly reflects what is happening at the youth level as well.

How is it fair that a men’s college basketball team is able to be transported on planes and dine on steak, while a women’s team from the same college, travels in a van and eats fast food? It’s not, but this occurs often nowadays even with laws passed preventing this type of discrimination. In 1972, Congress passed Title IX, which prohibits discrimination against girls and women in federally funded education, including athletic programs (Kiernan 3). Many schools and colleges have not been able to comply with the Title IX standards mostly because of money. Some of the problems in high schools and colleges consist of insufficient scholarships for girls, not enough coaching jobs, a lack of equipment, and a limited amount of supplies. Not only

Parents today are raising their daughters to know that they can do anything that the boys can do. Parents encourage young girls to play the sports that they want and to give it their all. Their parents tell them if they want to play sports at the college level, then they will have to work hard all the time, keep their grades up, and prove to others that they have what it takes to succeed at the college level. When young women grow up, struggle, work hard and accomplish their goals, they expect to be treated with respect. Unfortunately, they will not be treated the same way as the men who are playing that sport. When did this inequality start for our daughters? In elementary school? In high school? Chances are our daughters did face different

Americans understanding about getting involved in physical activity has been evolving since the idea of sport first entered the culture. At first a sport was nothing more than a way to prove yourself to others and to show masculinity. These changes were brought to fruition through more knowledge. When Americans first realized that physical health was of importance, it was what started to make sure that everyone was getting active in some way. These changes happened first for males. It was, for a long time, still considered inappropriate for a female to in peak physical condition. Because it took so long for anyone to believe that the same resources that men were given to stay physically active should be given to women to, women are still not given the same opportunities at any level of sport in America today.

Beverly Kearney was the women’s track coach at the University of Texas in Austin. She was fired from her employment after information had resonated disclosing an intimate relationship with a female student on the track team. The student was of age, so no criminal laws were violated; however, despite the disposition, she was released from her duty resultant of her actions. From a personal perspective, her dilemma could have been avoided if she refrained and engaged in this relationship at the appropriate time. Societal perception looks negatively on coaches dating students, while in school, as there is a conflict of interest. The university’s ethical guidelines should have been considered in her rationale concerning her relationship status.

It used to be that women were not allowed to participate in sports-- beyond just being seen as unbecoming and unfeminine, it was actually believed that physical activity would harm a woman's reproductive system. Men did not think that women should or could do the same

Inequality is often defined as the condition of being unequal; a lack of equality; a disparity or unequal opportunity, or treatment resulting from this disparity. Almost forty-four years ago a federal law was mandated that enforced gender equality in all schools. At the time Title IX was enacted, only 30,000 women were participating in an NCAA sport, compared to the 170,000 men. The National Collegiate Athletic Association, or NCAA offered no scholarships to women, nor did they offer championship tournaments (Tigay). Since the enactment of this law, the number of women who compete in college-level sports has increased more than five times since 1972, however, advocates say there is still a significant amount of work to be done while those against it say the law has come with unintended consequences. Those in favor of Title IX marvel at the continuing strides in granting women athletic equality, however, critics have opposed such advances due to the unjust impact it has had on male athletes.

Physical activity is essential for children; therefore sport participation has many physical benefits for youths (Willox, 1994). In the United States there is a very unhealthy trend of physically unfit children going on. According to a recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health seven out of ten kids in our nation are out of shape and the incidence of obesity has increased by more than 50 percent among America's children and teen since 1976 and continues to grow at a staggering rate (Metzel & Shookhoff, 2006). When children participate in sports activities they get some of the exercise they need to improve their quality of life and can help prevent children from becoming obese. Physical activity regulates obesity because it increases energy expenditure, suppresses appetite, increases metabolic rate, and increases lean body mass (Willox, 1994). Even though regular physical sport activity has been shown to improve physical fitness, it can also help in preventing many different health problems down the line that youths who participate in sports are more likely not to develop than youths who do not participate in sports. Women who participated in organized sport and fitness programs as

One of the parts of the debate that I found the most effective would be the part that talk about the gender equality benefits such as decrease the high drop out rate, empower loves, health, quality of services, and positive guidance and role models for opposite sex. I also like the part of the debate where the presentations states the reasons for the gap in gender equality in college sports, which it talks about how many men are getting the coaching jobs and women are getting away from high level of authority positions to assistant positions.

Since the beginning of this century women like Babe Didrickson and Billy Jean King have brought female athletes into mainstream acceptance. In earlier times women had not only not been encouraged to be physical it was thought to be harmful for

Women. Men. They are both a unique and special being that is on earth. In a perfect society, men and women would have the same physical strength and they would be completely equal. The idea of women and men being able to play against each other is wonderful but realistically it might not work out as great. Of course, women can do anything men can do, but in a competitive situation like this, the results of this change could bring forth more negative impacts than positive ones. In professional sports, women and men should be kept separate due to being biologically different and because of the possibility of the quality of the performances in the sports decreasing.

Women have always been the minority in the world even today: that is in the work force or even in sports. Title IX, an act that was made by the United States Congress in 1972, said that no one should be denied to play, receive financial aid, or discriminate to any education program or activity that pertains to only one sex (Senne 1). This act was a step towards improving female participation and lessening discrimination, but the stereotypes that most of society believes in still exist. This is one of the main reasons why women are discriminated when it comes to sports; by limited payroll, limited media coverage, and stereotypes.