Although female athletes across the globe have repeatedly proven their abilities to be equal to that of men, the sporting industry continues to focus its primary marketing efforts on male athletics. It is currently estimated that professional male athletes receive upwards to 85% higher salaries than female athletes. With gender stereotypes escalating the separation between women and men’s sports participation, female athletes continually struggle to prevail in the industry.
With only 3% of sports spectators preferring female athletics, the differing attendance levels between girls’ and boys’ sporting events are noticeably swayed. Here at Lake High School, at the most recent Boys’ Varsity Basketball home game versus Green High School, the total number of tickets sold amounted to 226. On the other hand, the Girls’ Varsity game, also versus Green, only sold a total of 103 tickets.
Although being hosted at the same location against the same school district, the Boys’ Basketball event brought in over double the attendees, accumulating an overwhelming 54% higher attendance rate. With the Boys’ Varsity Basketball team currently holding a record of 3-15 while the Girls’ Varsity Basketball team compares with a record of 4-15, the reasoning for this notable difference in popularity can only be explained by gender bias. However, it is necessary to note that these statistics exclude visitors with pre-purchased packages covering specific sporting events.
So what exactly is the motive behind this gender bias? The first factor that must be taken into consideration is the stereotypical physique of females. Most of society regards men as stronger, faster, and overall more athletic than women. In events predominately featuring speed and strength, male athletes have also been shown to outperform females by over 10%. Therefore, women’s athletics are often categorized as inferior in comparison to men’s sports.
Mrs. Chavez, the assistant coach of the Girls’ Basketball team last season, shares that she “hopes people start to appreciate women’s athletics more in general, although it could look very different than boys’ sports.” She elaborates that although men are considered, “bigger, stronger, and quicker, girls’ sports are a completely different game and are just as enjoyable to watch.”
Beyond the physical aspects of sports, many current female athletes are suffering the consequences of the widespread mental health crisis. Compared to their male correspondents, women are at an extraordinarily higher risk of mental illnesses such as major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. On the basis of female athletics, many players are faced with the depressing reality of increased occurrences of sexual harassment. In turn, this has caused a rising withdrawal of young girls from sporting activities due to a loss of motivation and passion.
However, on the level of both high school and professional sports, strides are being made toward guaranteeing the equal representation of women in athletics. As for the status of female athletics here at Lake High School, Mrs. Franjesevic, head coach of the Lake High School Softball program, reports that “our leadership here does put in a great amount of effort to level the playing field for both girls and boys.” She continues on to express that Mr. Cline, Lake’s current athletic director, is “really looking out for women in sports and definitely trying to improve the situation.”
Throughout history and still to this day, women around the world have continually fought for equal attention and increased wages for female athletes. Alongside the efforts of numerous high school athletic departments, the endeavors within the industry of professional athletics are beginning to triumph. In fact, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games were the first in Olympic history to feature an equal number of participants among both males and females.
In this modern-day age, female athletes are finally being recognized for their generations of overlooked achievements. However, the frequent occurrence of gender bias in sports is still a pressing issue that demands further attention. Females in athletics are an extraordinary representation of determination and resilience, serving as a source of inspiration for young girls and women across all walks of life. Therefore, in the end, the prospect of gender equality in sports should be the foremost objective within the business of athletics.
