In a society that still struggles with gender inequalities in professional fields, educational institutions, households, and even sports, women and girls must be encouraged to participate in all aspects of the sporting world. There are many different approaches that can be used to achieve this goal.
Increasing funding for women’s sports is one strategy that could help close the gap. This is a challenge because men’s teams tend to receive the lion’s share of sponsorships and television contracts, and some companies are reluctant to invest in women’s sports.
Social stigma is another barrier for female athletes. Sexist remarks and unjustified criticisms can damage an athlete’s self-esteem, and they can make it harder for a girl to find the courage to continue playing. This issue can be addressed by creating an easy-to-use whistleblowing platform that can capture discrimination and harassment complaints while maintaining a whistleblower’s anonymity and security.
Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, which prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, women’s participation in sports has been growing. Title IX was a pivotal moment for women’s sports, and it is the reason that we now have Women’s NBA, Women’s FIFA, Women’s Softball and Volleyball leagues, and more.
However, despite these advances, sexism is still prevalent in sports. Gender equality in sports is an ongoing struggle that requires all stakeholders to keep up the fight, and ensure that female athletes are fully supported on and off the field.