Gender equality in sports has long been a topic for debate. Since the 1970s when Title IX was passed, which prohibited discrimination based on sex and gender, many women have gotten a leg up in sports. However, despite these gains, women still face gender discrimination in the world of sports. This is partly due to the fact that men are perceived as superior athletes. This assumption is a common belief among people, and it is something that should be abandoned if we want to achieve gender equality in sports.
According to our study, the majority of Europeans support a policy approach that includes measures aimed at equalising opportunities in sport for both women and men. However, significant regional and socio-political differences in attitudes towards GE in sport remain. In particular, we found that sports participation is a strong predictor of supporting GE in sport. This is consistent with the idea that broader social involvement in sport may help to overcome entrenched gender stereotypes. Furthermore, it can lead to increased awareness of GE in sport.
In addition, we found that a positive attitude towards GE in sport is associated with higher incomes, education levels and greater perceived influence on society. This is in line with other studies that have shown that people who are more engaged in social reforms tend to be more supportive of progressive gender norms (e.g., through NGOs or the media).
One of the major barriers to equality in sport is the lack of funding for women’s sports teams. As a result, these teams often do not have access to the same training resources as their male counterparts. In addition, female athletes are not always given the same visibility in the media as their male counterparts. For example, Megan Rapinoe, the captain of the US women’s national football team, has spoken about how female footballers are paid less than their male counterparts.