Most people would agree that there is gender bias in American sports. There is a lack of coverage, a lack of administrative positions and a lack of opportunity in women’s athletics.
Though women may not be as physically able to dunk like Michael Jordan, that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve the same opportunities as men.
Before Title IX in 1972, girl’s participation in sports was rare. One out of every 27 girls played a high school varsity sport. Now, it’s one in 2.5.
However, professional leagues struggle to remain in business. The Women’s National Basketball Association’s (WNBA) summer schedule only conflicts with baseball, yet attendance numbers remain low.
Other than the Williams sisters, only a handful of female tennis players are well-known, and more so for their appearance (see Anna Kournikova). Popular female sports, such as gymnastics, beach volleyball and figure skating, reflect more on feminine features and attire than athletic prowess.
It’s not an uncommon site when Googling the words “female athletes” to find articles entitled “The 15 Sexiest Female Athletes to Watch.” Danica Patrick films racy ads for GoDaddy.com to make a name for herself off the NASCAR track.
If you didn’t know anything about women’s sports or sports media, you’d think their duty is solely to be good-looking.
UM students admit to not attending various women’s sporting events, and alluded to the fact that they don’t find them as interesting as the men’s games. They also don’t get as much publicity from the local media as their male counterparts.
While women may never reach the same level of popularity as men in sports, give some of your attention to women athletics and you might find yourself pleasantly surprised.
Editorials represent the majority view of The Miami Hurricane editorial board.