The Evolution of Women in Sport
The participation of
women in sports has been recorded to have existed throughout the history.
However, participation activities and rates vary in accordance with geography,
era, nation and stage of economic development. The modern era of organized
sports didn’t begin to emerge either for men or women until industrial age.
Women’s involvement in
sports is more visible in developed countries and today their level of
performance varies by country and by sport. The male demographic is still
larger than women’s participation in sports. The demographic differences are
observed globally Women’s world.
History
Before ancient games a
separate women’s athlete event was held at stadium in Olympia, called Herean
Games. Although married women were excluded from Olympics even as spectators.
After the classical period, there was some participation by women in athletic
festivals. In Sparta, women began to practice the same athletic exercises that
men did. Plato even supported women in sports by advocating running and
sword-fighting.
MODERN ERA
Late 17th
Century
The educational
committees of French revolution included moral, intellectual and physical
education for both male and females. Twenty years later, this physical
education was reduced to military preparedness for men. In Germany, physical
education of GutsMuths included the girl’s education; this involved the
measurement of performances of girls. This led to women’s sport being more pursued
in Germany than other parts of world.
19th and 20th
Centuries
In Europe and North
America, few women competed in sports before late 19th and 20th
centuries. Although women were permitted to participate in many sports, during
early 20th century, women’s professional sports leagues foundered. These
women’s sports were focused on their beauty, weight, health and fitness.
In late 1800s, Women’s
sports focused on facial and bodily beauty, correct posture, muscles and
health. Initially, activities for women were recreational rather than specific
sport in nature and emphasized physical activity rather than competition. In
1916, Amateur Athletic union (AAU) held its first national championship for
women. AUU also sponsored first American track and field championships for
women, in 1923.
The Olympics and Women
The United States
congress passed the Title IX legislation as part of Amendment Act to 1964 Civil
Rights Act, in 1972. Title IX states that: “no person shall be excluded from
participating in, on the basis of gender discrimination under any educational
programs or activities”. The law states that federal funds can be withdrawn
from school engaging in international sex-based discrimination in counseling,
academic support or general educational opportunities.
Female Sports
Female sports have been
created specifically for female and are not variants of popular men’s sport.
While sports involving the participation of women called women’s sports. Some
female sports can be traced back to single inventor while others cannot. Some
female sports can be attributed to variety of individuals who helped contribute
for its early development.
Professional sports refer
to sports in which players are paid for their performance. Opportunities for
women to participate in professional sports vary country to country. Some
women’s professional sports are affiliated with men’s professional sports
league. Others are independently owned and operated like Premier Hockey Federation.
Protective Equipment
for Women
Sports bra
One of most important
recent development is sports bra. Commercially, sports bra came to market in
1970s.
Female Genital protection
Some sports require female
players wear a type of genital protection. The female equivalent of male
jockstrap is pelvic protector, essentially a jockstrap for females, known colloquially
called jillstrap or jill.
Thoren Theory
The increase of female
participation in sport and problems female athletes can encounter has been
highlighted in sport of skiing. The Thoren Theory is named after USA national Ski
champion, Jeannie Thoren, noted for her mantra, “Women are not small men”.
Thoren is also a member of U.S Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.
Conclusion
At the end, the
importance of advocating for gender equity in sports should not be overlooked.
By supporting women’s sports, we can create an environment where people from
different identities and backgrounds feel welcome and empowered to pursue their
dreams on playing field.
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