Why+women+need+a+place+in+sport

=Joshua Seage n7556314= =Tutor: Katie Page= ** Artefact **

This artifact graphs the difference in attendance and media coverage between the National Basketball Association (NBA) in America and the Women’s National Basketball Association (NBA) in America in 2009. The NBA is significantly higher in both attendance and media coverage. When the NBA’s attendance numbers and the WNBA’s numbers are combined the NBA makes up over 90% of the combined attendance numbers. This graph portrays the gap between male and female sport in society today. ** Health Issue ** The artefact above represents the differences between male and female sports today. This essay will highlight the significant differences between male and female sports primarily focusing on media coverage. This essay will take a look at why there is such a difference in viewer numbers and will touch on the history of women in sport. Finally this essay will highlight the significant income difference between male and female athletes. ** Literature Review ** In 1993 the NSW department of sport and recreation highlighted the fact that women were making a consistent and significant contribution to Australian sport, yet their achievements on the whole were receiving little to no coverage by the mass media. The quality and quantity of the coverage of women’s sport by the media was not an accurate reflection of the amount of sport played or watched by women. The media coverage at the time was generally inadequate and selective. In closing the department stressed the importance of media coverage for women’s sport, due to the fact a media profile is essential for attracting sponsorship, spectators and other sources of financial support (1993). Unfortunately to this day nothing has changed with regards to the media coverage of women’s sport. Currently around half the participants in organised sport in Australia are women, however this is not reflected in media coverage of sport. Of the 3247 media reports about sport during the period of October 2008 until July 2009 only 316 of these were women’s sport orientated. That is less than 10% of all the media reports published during this period (2010 Premier’s Women’s Summit). Not only do male sport’s receive over 90% of the media coverage but they also run for a longer time, being on average 30 seconds longer than reports on women’s sport. As bad as the coverage of women’s sport in Australia sounds, it is far greater than other sporting nations such as America where women’s sport receives just under 2% of all sports news coverage (Dave Zirin, 2010). Sport is an integral part of the culture of almost every nation. However, its use to promote gender equity and empower girls and women is often overlooked because sport is not universally perceived as a suitable or desirable pursuit for girls and women (2009). When most people think of the difference between male and females in sport they focus on professional athletes, very few consider the benefits women can receive from just participating in sport at a local or community level. The article Sport and gender: empowering girl and women takes a look at what sport can do for girls and women across the world. It specifically focuses on third world countries and outlines frameworks and programs based on empowering women and girls through sport. The article states that a growing body of evidence has begun to establish sport as a viable tool for addressing gender equity on a broader scale. This evidence does not look at the difference in earnings or media coverage male and female athletes receive but instead focuses on the health and life benefits women can receive through sport. Through structured sport programs, girls and women can become more physically active, benefiting their physical and mental health, including the reduced risk they will suffer from chronic diseases, depression and anxiety. Sport can also be a powerful health information and education platform, connecting girls and women with the information, skills and strategies they need to reduce health risks in their lives, particularly in connection with their sexual and reproductive health.

Sport can help increase self-esteem by giving girls and women opportunities to learn new skills, engage in positive relationships. By providing women and girls with a voice in program design and decision-making, training, and opportunities for leadership, sport programs can also empower and help equip them to take greater control over their own lives. Sport programs can help to reduce the social isolation and exclusion that many girls and women experience, particularly those that cannot attend school and live in poverty.

Sport programs can provide girls and women with safe places to gather, help them to build social networks, offer social support, and connect them to health, education and employment information and opportunities that can help to address their marginalization in society. Sport programs can enhance the empowerment process by challenging gender stereotypes, reducing restrictions and offering girls and women greater mobility and more opportunities for their physical, intellectual and social development.

By involving families, community leaders, and boys and men in gender education, changes to gender stereotypes can benefit men and women alike. Sport can also provide girls and women with powerful role models, leadership skills and experience that they can transfer to other aspects of their daily lives such as their family life. All of these beneficial effects are self-reinforcing, and may also make sporting opportunities for girls and women more sustainable over time(2009).

In spite of the benefits, the successful implementation of sport programs aimed at gender equity involves many challenges and obstacles. Not only do girls and women have limited time available for sport, but there is often little value placed on sport activities for girls by their families, by girls themselves, and by their communities. To overcome these challenges, and to convince key stakeholders about the benefits of sport programs for gender equity and empowerment, evidence to support the benefits must be documented. As previously stated the Australian government has realized the difference between male and female sport in Australia and are trying a number of different strategies to eradicate these discrepancies. The article Sport and gender: empowering girl and women suggests the reinforcement of policies with appropriate legislation, regulations and funding for sport programs that promote gender equity. They also stress the importance of developing policies with a focus on sporting opportunities for girls and involving women in the planning of these policies(2009).

** Cultural and Social Analysis ** The key stakeholders in this issue are women of all ages. The inequity between male and female sports go far beyond the media coverage and athlete earnings. As said previously, women of all ages miss out on valuable life skills and meeting new people as a result of not participating in sport. The benefits women receive from playing sport have been clearly outlined and I honestly believe if more women participated in sports obesity as well as many other health issues numbers would significantly decrease. The inequity between male and females is often overlooked as many people don’t see the benefits of having a fairer playing field for man and women however the article Sport and Gender: Empowering Girls and Women clearly outlines the social benefits we would see if more women were involved in sport. There are many strategies out there focused on decreasing obesity numbers and exercising more but none on getting greater number of women and girls involved in sport. A variety of public health issues will benefit from having more women involved in sport the only problem is that public health experts are not focusing on women in sport. Health experts must focus on getting women and girls participating in sport. Many girls are required to participate in sport at a young age and throughout most of their schooling however generally when a girl reaches puberty they lose interest in sport as it is not seen as a feminine activity. Health experts must focus on removing the stigma that surrounds women playing sport and must highlight the physical, social and mental benefits a young girl can acquire through sport. In addition the government should attempt to make sport more accessible for women and make sport a more sociable event as to attract greater numbers.

** Reflection ** The artefact was chosen because it truly shows the difference between male and womens sport. Although the graph is based on the NBA and the WNBA it still adequately displays the inequity between the two groups. When I personally look at the graph I don’t see it as attendance numbers and television viewers but instead I notice that male sport is far more watched and acceptable then female sport. I believe this graph shows the stigma and stereotypes associated with females in sport. You can clearly see that society would much rather watch male athletes rather than female from this graph. On a personal note having completed this assessment I have learnt much more on women in sport then I thought I would have. Up until this assessment I had always thought about inequity in women’s sport to be the lack of media coverage they receive and the difference in earnings between male and female athletes. Upon finishing this assessment I now see just how much inequity in women’s sport affects society and women and girls on a personal level. I didn’t think about all the personal and social benefits one gains through playing sport. In the future I hope that the inequities women receive within sport are eradicated along with the stigma that goes with being a female athlete.

** Reference List ** NSW Department of Sport & Recreation (1993). Info sheet, Media coverage of women in sport. Retrieved from: []

2010 Premier’s Women’s Summit: Women in the Media (2010). Reporting of Women in Sport. Retrieved from: []

Zirin, D.(2010). The Nation: A Dramatic Drop in Women’s Sport Coverage. Retrieved from: []

(2009) Sport and Gender. Empowering Girls and Women, chapter 4. 125-166. Retrieved from []

The two wikis I commented on are 'If you let me play sports, I'll learn what it means to be strong'

This is the first time I have seen this ad and I thought it is one of the best advertisements and artefacts I have seen. Most of the wikis I have seen which focus on women in sport are directed at the lack of air time or income professional female athletes receive however I like your different approach. I believe that as we get older we forget intrinsic benefits we receive from playing sport and only view the extrinsic such as money and fame. I strongly agree that all children should participate in some sport as it builds character, friendships and beliefs. It is a great wiki. Joshua Seage n7556314

PUB209 Assignment wiki (Dave Roberts)

You have raised a number of important points David and have definitely taught me a number of things from this wiki. As bad as it sounds I agree with John Mangos when he said “the fact of the matter is blokes hit the ball further, kick the ball harder, go in harder, it's better to watch, end of story.” Society will always want to watch the most talented athletes compete and the most talented athletes will always be male. However just because society would rather watch male athletes that doesn’t mean women can’t make an income off sport. As you highlighted, women athletes can make a significant amount of money through endorsements and these endorsements seem to be increasing within women’s sport. Great wiki Joshua Seage n7556314