Paw Print Writer: Precious Robinson
In so many ways, being a woman in western society is such a privilege, compared to other parts of the world. Women in the west have easier access to education, voting, driving cars, and participation in sports. Women of this society are not limited to the physiological traits and abilities of the female body. They are also not subject to the “gender roles,” like many other parts of the world. They definitely have more freedom to explore and showcase their other capabilities that were once frowned upon. One that stands out is the allowance of women to participate in sports.
Women were allowed to participate in the Olympic Games in the year 1900. Only 22 women competed, and it was limited to feminine sports that included: tennis, sailing, cricket, equestrian, and golf. Among these sports, there is a similarity in that they all do not require much exertion, which was previously thought to be dangerous for women. Today, there is a female league for every sport, after nearly a century. That is the great persistence that women have continued to show, with some challenges of reluctance from both genders. It is now the year 2023 and women in many jobs/positions are still underpaid. I suppose this inequality displayed through salary, media coverage, and support shows the lack of appreciation women have continuously strived to achieve.
One great example of discrimination towards women within athletics is the United States Women’s Soccer team. This soccer team has been named the best women’s soccer team in the world on multiple accounts. These stellar athletes have captured a total of four FIFA world cups and four Olympic gold medals. They have definitely earned that title, but when there is so much hard work going into the successes, it is natural to want proper recognition. As such, several women on the team first brought this to some of the national soccer committees in 2016. Nothing was done with this justifiable complaint of these athletes.
The reasoning stated for this protest was that the women’s soccer team had claimed an extensive amount of success, and had brought in a substantial sum of revenue for the U.S. Soccer Affiliation. The men’s soccer team has never won a World Cup, nor have they won a gold medal in the Olympics. With this comparison, the women’s soccer team saw that it was discriminatory and arbitrary, that they were paid less than the men’s soccer team. As there was only a conversation about the issue, these women finally filed a case in 2019 against the U.S. Soccer Federation for discrimination.
Three years later, the women’s soccer team found success once again. They were victorious in the case they filed, which was as strategic and well thought out as they play on the field. The men’s team no longer receives federal funding, as done by President Joe Biden. On top of that, the U.S. Women’s Soccer team was refunded for the two most recent FIFA World Cup titles.
It should not have to be this difficult to receive respect as a woman in sports, and any other aspect of life. However, it is also a reminder that women should not allow themselves to be disrespected, for something they have no control over. And it has been proved time and again that females can handle much more than they have been made out to be. The United States Women’s Soccer team has displayed great courage that has empowered so many other women in sports. This has resulted in other sports reevaluating the structure of their organizations, to adjust to the new shift in the meaning of equality. Beyond that, this exemplary velour of female athletes gives extra adoration to Women’s History Month.
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