Gender equality is a major topic in society and sports are no exception. Even though women are now taking more leadership roles, they still face challenges and inequality in the sports world. For example, the Women’s World Cup final of 2015 was the most watched soccer match-men’s or women’s-ever yet women are not receiving equal amounts of funding or media coverage. In addition, women are not getting equal representation in the decision-making bodies of sport federations.
In order to promote gender equality, it is necessary to tackle the root causes of gender inequality in sports and change the structures that support male hegemony. This can be done by increasing investment, raising awareness, implementing policies and laws, fostering women’s leadership, and developing mixed and inclusive sport projects.
However, there is much more work to be done. Women athletes need to be able to access the same training facilities as men. They also need to be paid the same amount as their male counterparts for doing the same job. Moreover, they need to be able to play on a team with both male and female players. If they don’t, they may feel that they are not a good fit and leave the sport, especially if they experience bullying or social stigma during socially fragile adolescence. Lastly, it is crucial to address the sexism in the media by debunking stereotypes and highlighting positive stories of women in sports. This will help to reduce the masculinization of sports and the feminization of women in sports participation.