Gender Stereotypes in Non-Traditional Sports

1768 Words4 Pages

Gender Stereotypes in Non-Traditional Sports

Because of stress from families, grief from peers, or doubts from coaches, it is difficult for an athlete to enter a sport that has traditionally been classified as a sport of the opposite sex. Athletes love the challenge of sports, the thrill of competition, and the benefits of achieving - all qualities that men and women share - however, certain sports also exude qualities of femininity or masculinity, grace or sheer power, and these qualities complicate the qualifications to enter specific sports. On the surface, ballet is graceful, soft, and poised, and a "real man" would never possess such characteristics. Ballet, in reality, requires strength, stamina, balance, but because the jumps and turns of a dancer appear to be effortless to the audience, the work and strength behind ballet are rarely recognized. In boxing, the athlete's skill is evident by his or her strength and fighting ability, but traditionalists do not believe that women should display such aggressiveness. Individuals who enter into a non-traditional sport for their sex do have opportunities to excel in what they are passionate about, although these accomplishments often come with notoriety, labels, and sometimes even the loss of support of their family and friends.

The difference between sports that are traditionally women's and those that are traditionally men's comes from historical thoughts about women's ability to endure physical activity. One of the dominant myths surrounding women was that they were inherently weak, and if they tried to become active, they would destroy their reproductive organs, and thus fail at their foremost occupation (Hult 84). This myth has been debunked, however the mentality rema...

... middle of paper ...

...

No.4, November 1999: 403-420.

Billy Elliot. Universal Pictures, England: 2000. www.billyelliot.com

Girlfight. Screen Gems, New York: 2000.

Holmlund, Christine Anne. "Visible Difference and Flex Appeal: The Body, Sex,

Sexuality, and Race in the Pumping Iron Films." Women, Sport, and Culture. Eds. Birrell, S. & Cole, C. Human Kinetics Publishers: 1994.

Hult, Joan S. "The Story of Women's Athletics: Manipulating a Dream 1890-1985."

Women and Sport: Interdisciplinary Studies. Eds. Costa, M. & Guthrie, S.R. Kinetics Publishing: 1994.

Oglesby, C.A. & Shelton, C.S. "Exercise and Sports Studies." The Knowledge

Explosion: Generations of Feminist Scholarship. Eds. Krammarae, C. & Spender. Athene Series, Teachers College Press: 1992.

Scott, A.O. "Billy Elliot: Escaping a Miner's Life for a Career in Ballet." New York

Times, New York: October 13, 2000.

More about Gender Stereotypes in Non-Traditional Sports

Open Document