On Chauvinism and Gender Equality
Despite the long history of phenomenal achievements in the world of sports, from Babe Didrikson Zaharias to Billie Jean King to Mary Lou Retton, the female athlete has always had to endure a difficult struggle for equality and recognition. I should correct that. The female athlete continues to endure a difficult struggle for equality and recognition. Regardless of their talent and abilities, these remarkable women are at best playing second fiddle to their male counterparts, and at worst they are completely overlooked in the chauvinistic world of sports.
Most recently, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) brought forth a lawsuit against the US Women’s National Team (USWNT) in order to ensure their cooperation in the upcoming Olympic games despite no indication that the team wouldn’t participate. To make matters worse, the documents used to file the suit were not properly proofread and several members of the team had their personal information exposed to the public.
This coming on the heels of a disastrously poorly planned trip to Hawaii in which the USWNT had to cancel a match on their Victory Tour due to poor pitch conditions on both their training and match fields.
The USSF failed to either properly inspect the field prior to the team’s arrival and had no plan in place for a secondary venue. After all the debate and frustration over having the Women’s World Cup competed on turf fields instead of natural grass, it is simply unacceptable for the USSF to expect a national team to play on substandard grounds. Beyond the embarrassment of cancelling a game, the incident contributed to the injury of Megan Rapinoe and resulted in a class action lawsuit against US Soccer for the missed match.
In a matter of just a few months, the USSF managed to expose the defending Women’s World Cup champions to conditions that threatened their personal safety on the field and off the field, embarrassed them publicly, and sued them.
I cannot help but wonder why, when the sports world is so very capable of being on the forefront of social change, there is such a willingness to allow the unequal treatment of female athletes.
Foundation of Chauvinism
I believe that from an early age, young athletes are exposed to an occasionally subtle but consistent environment of chauvinism. Whether it be the mocking chants of other athletes that a young boy shoots/throws/runs “like a girl,” or a coach’s attempt at motivating those falling behind in wind sprints with the always encouraging shout of “pick up the pace ladies”.
There comes a time when sports are no longer co-ed that it is assumed the boys will be better and the girls, well the girls are just staying in shape.
During my time on the junior varsity (7th and 8th grades) basketball team, our practices often ended in a scrimmage against the girls team (7th through 12th grade). The catch was we had to play defense with our hands behind our backs. It was the coach’s way of keeping things even and ensuring that the boys were focused on playing basketball.
It was a joke.
We would lose all the time. Not because we had our hands behind our backs either. Those girls were good enough to beat us without help. It was an insult to them, you could see it in their demeanor. The moment we put our hands behind our backs, they were looking to emasculate us. There was nothing productive in this. It promoted unfair competition and an environment of bitterness between athletes.
However, the notion that it was necessary was reinforced if when you decided to turn on the television.
Growing up my dad and I watched every televised tennis match available to us. Grand Slams to Davis Cups to regular tour events if it was on, we watched it. It didn't matter if it was men's or women's tennis, my dad loved the game and wanted to share it with me. It worked. Together we enjoyed years of playing and watching tennis together.
While teaching me about tennis, my dad would point out some of the distinctions between the women’s game and the men’s but he never presented one as better than the other and certainly never presented one gender as being superior. We enjoyed watching Pete Sampras play as much as we enjoyed Steffi Graf.
The announcers were different. They seemed all too eager to point out the differences in the power of the men, the endurance they had to show, and the justification of the higher payouts. It wasn’t just tennis either.
The WNBA was just being formed and if you liked a “less athletic” more “fundamental”, than maybe you should check out the women’s game.
To young boys it simply serves as justification as to why we had to put our hands behind our backs. We were more athletic and the girls were at a natural disadvantage. We only lost because they were fundamentally sound and we were playing handicapped. The foundation of chauvinism was taking root.
Fortunately for me, my father was there to crack that foundation to pieces. He made sure I understood that I was an idiot and that if I forgot that I was an idiot, he would be more than willing to take me down a notch or two. Equality was a tenant of his household and he would not tolerate any notion of superiority from his children.
Changing the Narrative
I don’t know when it happened for you. For me it was in 1999. His lecture fresh in my mind, my dad(a non-soccer fan) and I sat down to watch the finals of the Women’s World Cup.
Like much of the nation, I fell in love. Not only did a passion for soccer begin that day but a real, true understanding for the need of equality was formed as well.
Over the next decade, the USWNT continued to grow in popularity.They inspired a love of soccer in the nation’s youth and helped build up the self esteem of young female athletes. But there was something missing.
While the tennis world saw Venus Williams take a stand against pay inequality and her sister, Serena, almost single handedly break down the disparaging generalization of the gap between men’s and women's athleticism, women's soccer remained second class.
Women's tennis is in a much better position now than it was twenty years ago, yet women's soccer is in much the same place.
Why is that?
Is it because for much of this time the USWNT has behaved in a professional manner? Until Hawaii in December, any displeasure with a situation would be addressed quietly and professionally before they simply did what they were asked to do.
Venus Williams shamed the directors of Wimbledon with a letter and people with influence, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair, rallied around her.
Where is this influential support for the USWNT? It would seem that most would agree that the treatment of the USWNT is unfair and yet the USSF still feels no pressure to make things right.
Soccer is Art
Too often viewing sports solely as a business allows for the blinders of chauvinism to remain firmly in place. The constant judgment of bottom line decision making can mask the need for further investment in the athletes as people not simply subordinates.
However the moniker of soccer holds the key to removing those blinders.
The beautiful game.
It is as enticing a nickname as it is accurate. It compels the viewer to explore deeper into the sport. To understand the complexity. To seek greater knowledge. To be inspired. In this way, soccer is an art form.
With this understanding, it becomes easier to see past the chauvinism set forth as a standard in sports. There isn't a need to compare the women's game against the men's as if the were a product to be consumed but rather each can be appreciated on their own merits as works of art.
To watch the USWNT is see the personification of grace.
How can that not result in a massive rally of support for their demand of equality?
Support your Sisters
The USWNT are not damsels in distress. The have no need of some "white knight” rushing to their rescue with the hope of winning their affection. This is simply another form of chauvinism. The expectation of the need of help and the expected return of affection is equal parts demeaning and insulting.
However, they should not be expected to stand alone either. They are in the right and equality is worth fighting for.
Perhaps, the USSF should be concerned about a strike. But rather than the women's team refusing to play what kind of statement would it be if the US Men’s National Team (USMNT) refused to play until gender equality is a reality?
The USMNT's collective bargaining agreement with USSF soccer runs through 2018 and is completely separate from that of the USWNT, however, should that matter in the context of what is right?
USMNT taking a stand now could be enough to shake up the USSF’s discriminatory practices. It also could set the stage for a future joint players union and an environment of true equality.
The need for equality should no longer be up for debate. The chauvinistic discrimination and environment of male superiority in sports needs to end.
The USWNT have given and done so much for the sport of soccer and young athletes in this country, they deserve our support. Especially on a matter where they are so clearly on the side of right.
