Women Dominate Sports
Women all over the world have fought for their right for equality, and still, some are trying to disregard those freedoms by dissing women in their athletic positions. Female athletes are being pestered for not being athletic enough or for caring about the wrong element of their careers. If a woman chooses a career path in athletics and proves time and time again that she is great at what she does, she should be just as respected as a man in the same position. Women should continue fighting for equality because they are crushing barriers, are less respected and less publicized.
Women are crushing barriers in sports and should be given credit for their accomplishments. Journalist Sara Maratta states, “In the year 2010, women are becoming more accepted into the sports world” (539). Women are exceeding the expectations of much of the sporting community. This is occurring because women like Serena and Venus Williams are using power and drive to become some of the best tennis players the world has seen, male or female (Kimmelman 514). I have always believed that these women, and others like them, are not receiving the accolade that they should be getting. Also, many believe that other countries cannot condition their women to be successful athletes. Nevertheless, women in China and many other countries are training and working to become successful in athletics. Also, some feel the need to allow all sports to be coed, and while I disagree with this claim, I do agree that all men and women should be given equal opportunities (“Women Got Game but Not Quite Yet” par. 5). All in all, all female athletes should be given credit for participating in sports and be given the opportunity to participate as an equal to men.
All athletic activities should be given respect, even when many believe that they should not be considered sports. A big example of an athletic activity that is given little to no respect is cheerleading. Kate Torgovnick author of the novel Cheer emphasizes that “most people’s perception of [cheerleading] remains rooted in 1950s stereotypes… ‘... either the straight A’s prom queen, or the short skirt, slutty, queen-bee’” (qtd. in Yabroff 526-527). People need to update their beliefs because cheerleading is more than “sluts” dancing around in skirts. They should be considered athletes. Torgovnick says that “...competitive cheerleaders are more like extreme athletes: daredevil adrenaline junkies who often perform exhausted or hurt and love this sport with an addict’s devotion” (qtd. in Yabroff 524). Cheerleaders in today’s society are more about competing and should be treated as athletes. Also, men have become interested in the sport of cheerleading; there are still great numbers of men that participate in cheerleading. Even though times are changing and people are becoming more accepting of women, I believe that there is still a stigma against them in sports. Cheerleaders are even considered to be “dumb blondes” that are good for nothing except for cheering for the men who are playing the actual sport (Maratta 540). Women and their sporting events should be accepted as such, and given fair and equal treatment.
Female athletes receive less attention than males, even when they are just as capable and conditioned as their male counterparts. Women are seen as objects in sports, as well as many other parts of their lives. Professional Serbian tennis player Jelena Jankovic claims, “Face it, there are fans who like to look at girls in nice tennis dresses,” when referring to easy ways of getting publicity (qtd. in Maratta 539). This statement is outrageous and should not be a standard that women set for themselves, especially in the world of sports. There are already other people setting social standards for women, they shouldn’t be doing it for themselves. Some feel that women should accept that their appearance is more important than the level of intensity that they play in their sport. In fact, some feel that women cannot play at a comparable level of intensity that a male could play at in a sport (“Women Got Game but Not Quite Yet” par. 5). While I agree up to a point, I cannot accept the conclusion that women cannot work hard enough to accomplish the same feats at men. There are obvious physiological differences between men and women, but that should not be put into consideration when it comes to the coverage of a sporting event.
Women deserve to be treated fairly, in sports and all other aspects of life, because they are pushing their limits, and still gain less respect and publicity than male athletes. Women need to continue to raise the standard for themselves and make others treat them respectfully. All athletes have incredible talents that should be celebrated instead of discouraged. Women athletes should continue to fight for their freedoms and continue to prove that women have just as much talent as boys.
Women are crushing barriers in sports and should be given credit for their accomplishments. Journalist Sara Maratta states, “In the year 2010, women are becoming more accepted into the sports world” (539). Women are exceeding the expectations of much of the sporting community. This is occurring because women like Serena and Venus Williams are using power and drive to become some of the best tennis players the world has seen, male or female (Kimmelman 514). I have always believed that these women, and others like them, are not receiving the accolade that they should be getting. Also, many believe that other countries cannot condition their women to be successful athletes. Nevertheless, women in China and many other countries are training and working to become successful in athletics. Also, some feel the need to allow all sports to be coed, and while I disagree with this claim, I do agree that all men and women should be given equal opportunities (“Women Got Game but Not Quite Yet” par. 5). All in all, all female athletes should be given credit for participating in sports and be given the opportunity to participate as an equal to men.
All athletic activities should be given respect, even when many believe that they should not be considered sports. A big example of an athletic activity that is given little to no respect is cheerleading. Kate Torgovnick author of the novel Cheer emphasizes that “most people’s perception of [cheerleading] remains rooted in 1950s stereotypes… ‘... either the straight A’s prom queen, or the short skirt, slutty, queen-bee’” (qtd. in Yabroff 526-527). People need to update their beliefs because cheerleading is more than “sluts” dancing around in skirts. They should be considered athletes. Torgovnick says that “...competitive cheerleaders are more like extreme athletes: daredevil adrenaline junkies who often perform exhausted or hurt and love this sport with an addict’s devotion” (qtd. in Yabroff 524). Cheerleaders in today’s society are more about competing and should be treated as athletes. Also, men have become interested in the sport of cheerleading; there are still great numbers of men that participate in cheerleading. Even though times are changing and people are becoming more accepting of women, I believe that there is still a stigma against them in sports. Cheerleaders are even considered to be “dumb blondes” that are good for nothing except for cheering for the men who are playing the actual sport (Maratta 540). Women and their sporting events should be accepted as such, and given fair and equal treatment.
Female athletes receive less attention than males, even when they are just as capable and conditioned as their male counterparts. Women are seen as objects in sports, as well as many other parts of their lives. Professional Serbian tennis player Jelena Jankovic claims, “Face it, there are fans who like to look at girls in nice tennis dresses,” when referring to easy ways of getting publicity (qtd. in Maratta 539). This statement is outrageous and should not be a standard that women set for themselves, especially in the world of sports. There are already other people setting social standards for women, they shouldn’t be doing it for themselves. Some feel that women should accept that their appearance is more important than the level of intensity that they play in their sport. In fact, some feel that women cannot play at a comparable level of intensity that a male could play at in a sport (“Women Got Game but Not Quite Yet” par. 5). While I agree up to a point, I cannot accept the conclusion that women cannot work hard enough to accomplish the same feats at men. There are obvious physiological differences between men and women, but that should not be put into consideration when it comes to the coverage of a sporting event.
Women deserve to be treated fairly, in sports and all other aspects of life, because they are pushing their limits, and still gain less respect and publicity than male athletes. Women need to continue to raise the standard for themselves and make others treat them respectfully. All athletes have incredible talents that should be celebrated instead of discouraged. Women athletes should continue to fight for their freedoms and continue to prove that women have just as much talent as boys.
Works Cited
Kimmelman, Michael. “Women Who Hit Very Hard and How They'Ve Changed Tennis.” They Say I Say, W.W. Norton & Company, New York , NY, 2012, pp. 512–523.
Maratta, Sara. “Move Over Boys, Make Room in the Crease.” They Say I Say, W.W. Norton & Company, New York , NY, 2012, pp. 537–544.
“Women Got Game but Not Quite Yet.” The Washington Times [Washington, DC], July 2009, p. C09. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A213711200/OVIC?u=chil38234&xid=93b8b4bc. Accessed 2017.
Yabroff, Jennie. “In Defense of Cheering.” They Say I Say, W.W. Norton & Company, New York , NY, 2012, pp. 524–528.
Kimmelman, Michael. “Women Who Hit Very Hard and How They'Ve Changed Tennis.” They Say I Say, W.W. Norton & Company, New York , NY, 2012, pp. 512–523.
Maratta, Sara. “Move Over Boys, Make Room in the Crease.” They Say I Say, W.W. Norton & Company, New York , NY, 2012, pp. 537–544.
“Women Got Game but Not Quite Yet.” The Washington Times [Washington, DC], July 2009, p. C09. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A213711200/OVIC?u=chil38234&xid=93b8b4bc. Accessed 2017.
Yabroff, Jennie. “In Defense of Cheering.” They Say I Say, W.W. Norton & Company, New York , NY, 2012, pp. 524–528.