Feminism In Hockey

Many people believe that gender inequality in sports is caused by lack of participation. However it is shown that 40 percent of sport and physical activity participants are women (Collins). They also feel that the reason for lack of participation is because society is sending out negative stereotypes that say women should not participate in sports for amusement (Wilde). The media is the one who is sending that stereotype out. Media are the ones that are pointing out that women should not want to be athletic and play in sports, and that they should only exercise so they look good. The media is saying that sports are for men not women. Sports are too masculine for women and women should be acting more

Because gender constructions have been so influential in deciding what positions men and women occupy in the world and what part of one's identity should be reinforced in the activities one chooses to engage in, men and women's involvement in sports that do not reflect cultural and/or societal expectations like weight lifting, body building, boxing for women, and synchronized swimming, figure skating, field hockey for men can result in a number of conflicts. It can lead to social,

Across all areas of society increasing gender equality has become an important and popular topic. Many industries are taking action to help create equal opportunities for both men and women, although Myers and Doherty (2007) suggest there is ,“ A considerable amount of work still to be done to achieve equality for women in sport” (p.323). Placing emphasis on the role of sport and societal issues Mulholland (2012) claims, “Sport is a viable tool for addressing gender inequality and empowering girls and women.” (p.17). The inequality of male to female participation is especially present in snowboarding, as stated by the Women’s Snowboard Federation, “Female participation rates in snowboarding are significantly lower than the distribution of the general population” (Women’s Snowboard Federation). This paper will discuss the Canadian snowboard industry, and why it is important for their organization to reach out into the Canadian sport community and increase the number of female participants. Although the Canadian snowboard industry is predominantly male, the current changing tone of this male dominated industry presents an ideal opportunity to make changes effectively and efficiently to pursue gender equal opportunities and in the distribution of programming. Coakely (2009) claims that sport is a socially constructed institution that changes according to cultural context; affects other realms of our culture like

Sport has been one of the most important socio-cultural learning experiences for males and females. Sports provide an amazing release for people of all ages. People are requested and welcomed to play sports at any age. Sometimes there are many limitations due to personal reasons that restrain people from participating in sport such as money, peer pressure, location, etc. For the last century males are expected to be strong, independent, and athletic. Male athletes masculinity symbolizes an image of physical health, and sexual virility throughout their bodies as well. Nowadays, women’s participation in sports is becoming popular but it is still overshadowed by men’s. According to the Women’s Sport Foundation before the title IX “given equal athletic opportunities, women will rush to fill them; the remaining discrepancies in sports participation rates are the result of continuing discrimination in access to those opportunities” (“ Title IX Myths and Fact”). Under the title IX, female has the playing field been. Women now can participate in many sports, which were only played by men before. However, the main reason that female usually do not participate is due to gender inequity. Some of people believe that the inequity in sports has not changed over the years, especially opportunities and benefits. Although sports provide opportunities for both males and females, female participating in sports generally have less opportunities to

This analysis shows a changing in the guard of how women’s sports are being covered. The increasing feminism movement in sports with icons such as former MMA UFC fighter Ronda Rousey leading the way in combination with an increasing in feminine issues being covered by the media has meant a change in the way women’s sports are featured. Though gender still has a major influence over the coverage of women’s hockey and a traditional heteronormative gender role is communicated at several points of these pieces, the conversation has moved away from being an exposition on the strangeness of women’s engaging in a men’s sports to becoming a celebration of women in sports. What this encouragement does communicate however is the ability of these women to leave behind stereotypically heteronormative feminine traits and take on the masculine

My experiences as a female wrestler at St. Helens, has been amazing. Very rewarding and has made me very thankful to my team, my coaches and my sparring partners. The thesis of my paper is, the sex or orientation of a competitor has nothing to do with the performance of a competitor. This essay is about the "differences" between the sexes of wrestlers. When there shouldn’t be a difference. Wrestling is a team sport and an individual sport as well. Males in cases do have more muscle mass then female competitors but, that doesn't mean that you women are unfit competitors. There are other ways to win in a match rather than through mere strength. You have to be willing to learn different moves and master them. You have to learn how to get out of

By turning women away from playing certain sports, we are influenced to believe that they are not as qualified to play, compared to men. (Creedon, 1994). Ironically, women on the field seem to have to act tougher than the men. If an

There are so many issues when it comes to gender roles, gender norms, and gender identities. Many men and women in today’s society freely choose the way they want to present themselves to society; which is either masculine or feminine. A lot of these characteristics are accepted, and a lot are not accepted in society today. There are many social stigmas that come along with being a female athlete; meaning there is major social criticism with how they choose to present themselves to society. Gender is a symbol for a strong system of norms that analyzes and leads the behavior of men and women (Schur 1984; Blinde and Taube 1992).

Studies show that male athletes are shown in various images that project them as tough, or of great strength, but women are highlighted by physical attractiveness and heterosexuality rather than their accomplishments as athletes, stated by( e.g., Kane and Buysse, 2005; Kane, Lavoi, and Fink, 2013; Parker and Fink, 2008). In response the nature of the sports world is separated in terms of gender, and will not be an easy fix, but if we leave the way women athletes are viewed as it is, and continue to move forward without addressing this issue, Cheryl Cooky believes to be very frustrating. Cheryl Cooky, an associate professor of Women’s, gender, and sexual studies at Purdue University, and study co-authors stated, “This persisting trend. It is just somewhat disappointing given the tremendous growth and participation in women’s

Gender stereotypes have long been a contentious issue in sport. Sport requires participants to be competitive, courageous, determined, muscular, powerful and strong. These

With respect to gender, there is an obvious stereotype of male dominance within our society. They are seen as powerful and masculine, whereas women are seen as fragile and feminine. The idea of male dominance in society carries over to sport as well. Sport in the past has been seen as a male privilege that requires masculinity to take part in. This has marginalised women from taking part in various sports, especially in contact sports (Wheatley, 1994).

Present society has cultivated gender ideologies, such that the distinction between masculinity and femininity has been defined through social construction. From birth to childhood, gender norms are learned from what our parents teach us, what is taught in school, and what is depicted in the media. In the sport of hockey, a majority of these

Another sociologist, Michael Messner, illustrates how society “does gender” by discussing the elective affinity between masculinity and sports through his piece entitled, “Boyhood, Organized Sports, and the Construction of Masculinities” (Messner, 1990). In this article Messner claims that sports teach people to devalue femininity, which is evident through negative expressions coined by society such as “You throw like a girl.” Because playing sports teaches aggression and teamwork, the world of sports is an institution that is built around masculinity. Even when women play sports, they are masculinized.

Today, we are seeing many changes in regard to gender and its place in the athletic world. More than ever, men and women are crossing "gender boundaries" and entering a non-traditional sport for their sex. Of course this boundary crossing is significant culturally and socially as it challenges conventional view of male and female characteristics and roles. When altering a customary view of gender in a society, there are both costs and benefits to that society. This paper will discuss the costs and benefits to a traditionally male-centered culture when women and men cross gender lines in sport, and provide examples of different sports in which gender lines are being erased.

When it comes to the topic of sports, many people would assert that sports are a tool that can be used to bring people together. However, in her essay, “We Don’t Like Football, Do We?” Mariah Burton Nelson argues that sports have created a platform where men can be brought together to diminish the ideas and worth of women. Nelson argues that with the idea that men are meant to play sports that require more strength and force, women are beginning to increasingly suffer the consequences of this idea. Nelson asserts that if men and women do not work to change the ideas of women that sports are creating, the damage done to women due to these ideas will not stop.