The Evolution of Women in Sports

The Evolution of Women in Sports
There have been many misconceptions between men and women in the world of sports. Whereas men are seen as strong and muscular, women have been viewed as more fragile. The stereotypes created from these viewpoints have caused women to feel the need to prove their strength. Gender differences have greatly influenced the stereotypes we see in the sports world.
Some of the earliest American sports originated in England, and generally did not include the women. Horse races, lawn bowling and ball games were very popular among the colonists. These informal activities took place outside urban taverns and rural inns. According to Eric Foner and John A. Garraty, many of these events were sponsored by the owners to increase their business revenue. The men would also hold “contests of skill and prowess” such as racing or wrestling and curious observers often joined (Foner and Garraty 1). Occasionally the women participated in lawn bowling or a light game of ball, but they were more likely to sit chatting with one another on the sidelines.
The 1800’s brought more formality to the sports world. People would come from miles around to watch men compete in baseball games. New York, especially, was the center of baseball at the time. Clubs were formed for young men to get together and play ball for recreation and fellowship (Foner and Garraty 1). During this time period, women remained merely observers.
A renewed view of athletics had “displaced old Victorian doubts that games made men slothful,” creating a pathway of change for athletes (Foner and Garraty 1). Soon sports would become big business and more competitive. Along with baseball; tennis, golf and football became popular. Men were beginning to play sports for a living as spectators were willing to pay to see teams compete. It was many more years before this growth included women sports teams. (Foner and Garraty 1)
Because women continued to be seen as too delicate, it was not until the 1960’s that women were allowed to formally participate in sports. Cross Country was one of the first sports to allow female participation. At the beginning, only short distances were allowed. Long distance running was banned when a large number of female runners in the Amsterdam Olympic Games fainted at the end of a hard competition. Olympic officials concluded that women were too weak to run long distances. In 1966, when attempting to enter the Boston Marathon, Roberta Gibbs was rejected for being “physically incapable of running a marathon because she was a woman” (Ben Webber 1). Sports officials believed that if the weaker sex pushed themselves too hard they would become infertile, so they felt it was best to reject them as participants. Gibbs was determined to prove them wrong. Instead of letting their rejection discourage her, she hid behind a bush and slipped into the marathon as it started. She finished the race in three hours and twenty minutes. In spite of her obvious success, the sports officials were not convinced that this was a healthy endeavor for women. The idea that women would be physically harmed by running long distances prevailed, and it wasn’t until 1972 that they were allowed to participate in marathons. During that same year, Title IX of the Education Act was passed by majority vote. This act required public schools to offer equal opportunities for boys and girls thus making it easier for girls to join a team (Ruth Conniff 1).
It was believed for many years that women were not capable of playing sports professionally. No one could fathom that they were competitive enough. Eventually these ideas began to change and more sports became available for females. These included tennis, soccer and pole vaulting. One of the most successful women’s sports was tennis, which started in 1973. At first, spectators did not take women’s tennis seriously because they could not imagine that females could hit the ball hard enough to create an exciting match. It was not until Billie Jean King challenged Bobby Riggs to a tennis match that it was seen differently. Riggs claimed he could beat even the strongest female player, but King proved otherwise when she beat him three times during the game.
Billie Jean’s success in tennis was only the beginning. Soon other sports, such as soccer, became available for females of all ages to play competitively. The first national women’s soccer team was formed in 1985, and after only six years rose to the top. The U.S. won their first World Series cup in 1991. Girls’ soccer teams began to show up in communities and schools everywhere. This was a progressive step in the world of women’s sports.
Along with soccer, Pole vaulting became popular among women. However, it was not officially added as a competitive sport for women until 1992. According to experts, “women could not build the upper body strength needed” to thrust themselves into the air (Webber 2). The athlete needs to be able to “sprint down the runway, bend the stiff pole, and hold on to hoist herself over the bar” (Webber 2). Few people thought it even possible for females to clear any higher than twelve feet on the pole vault. A young woman named Stacy Dragila was able to prove them wrong when she cleared fifteen feet in the first ever female Olympic pole vaulting event in 2001 (Webber 2).
Even after all that success, women have continued to face stereotypes in their everyday lives, as well as sports. One example is the assumption that women can only be housewives because they are frail and dainty and possess very few skills. Another stereotype is that women want to be prim and proper. According to Becky Beal, in her article Skateboarding, it is the assumption of most males that girls want to appear feminine in all realms of their lives. It is believed that girls would rather wear cute clothing and go to the mall than risk getting dirty or injured by playing a sport. This is a part of the presumed idea that men and women do not share the same roles socially.
These stereotypes are simply not accurate in the modern day. A large percent of women work outside the home, and compete in sports as well. Even those who remain at home are raising children, running home businesses, and actively participating in their communities’ politics, leadership and sports. Although females are built differently, that does not mean they are incapable of participating in sports both informally or professionally. They can be as equally competitive and strong as men. In fact, they are often better at sports such as tennis and running due to their smaller frames and slim features. If a woman really wants to participate in a sport, she will put her whole heart and soul into it. I believe that women are making positive progress in the sports world, and because of this stereotypes are slowly vanishing.
Although the stereotype threat is less prominent, female sports players are still under a lot of pressure to prove themselves. Because of this, they believe that they have to work twice as hard to be accepted than their male counterparts. This can result in physical and mental harm. As she strives to prove herself, the woman athlete is full of anxiety. She may become restless and have trouble sleeping, or lack focus and become depressed. This affects the woman’s physical wellbeing, because she feels tired all the time, and therefore becomes weaker. Perfect performance is everything so they choose to be overly exhausted and well-prepared instead of well rested. Eventually, muscle pain and injuries will occur because their bodies can no longer take the pressure. For many women, pushing themselves will ruin any chance of them continuing a sport as a career. Although this can happen to male athletes as well, it appears to be more common in female athletes, due to the pressures caused by stereotyping.
It is not necessarily men’s fault that women are under this kind of pressure. Men have simply been raised differently from birth. Becky Beal points out in her article that there are five characteristics of male initiation rites in sports. The first is man-boy relationships, which is where the older men guide the boys through rituals. The second is insuring conformity to the rules of the rituals. The third is learning to defer to male authority. The fourth is pain because tolerance of pain often proves ones manhood. The more bruises and cuts they have, the manlier they are. Finally, these rituals take place in a segregated environment. There are no females or family members involved. (Beal 62)
For men, sports have always been a means of identity, as well as a way to relate to other guys. As boys, they join sports to have fun and make friends. As they grow, they must decide whether or not to pursue it as a career. In order to be successful, “their identities become directly tied to continued public success” (Messner 50). Domination of other players becomes their main focus. Some of them even begin to treat their relationships like a game because they lose their social abilities. Women, in contrast, are taught to value relationships and work as a team. Because of this, they have a natural ability for team sports that men are often lacking.
Now that women have become so widely integrated into the sports world, the definition of femininity has changed. The feminine ideal now includes traits such as “vigor, physical strength, and competitiveness” (Foner and Garraty 2). There is a new focus on woman’s sports. The average amount of female athletes has increased to one in every three. For women, sports have become a way to test themselves, face their fears, and discover what they are capable of (Conniff 1). This means that masculinity is changing as well. Sports are becoming less focused on the masculine side, and instead focus on both males and females as equals. Men are beginning to see women in a new light, and the past inequalities that were apparent in sports have nearly vanished.

Citations
Beal, Becky. "Skateboarding." Body and culture. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2006. 60-73.
Conniff, Ruth. "The joy of women 's sports." Http://web.ebscohost.com.access-proxy.sno-isle.org/. 10 Aug. 1998. 12 Oct. 2013 .
Foner, Eric and Garraty, John A. “Spectator Sports.” The Reader’s Companion to American History. Houghton Mifflin Company. 1991. Elibrary.Web. 12 Oct. 2013. http://elibrary.bigchalk.com.
Messner, Michael A. "Sports and Gender Relations." Body and culture. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2006. 47-59
Webber, Ben. "Women 's SPORTS Then and Now." Ebscohost.com.acess-proxy.sno-isle.org. 12 Mar. 2001. Scolastic Scope. 12 Oct. 2013 .

Citations: Beal, Becky. "Skateboarding." Body and culture. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2006. 60-73. Conniff, Ruth. "The joy of women 's sports." Http://web.ebscohost.com.access-proxy.sno-isle.org/. 10 Aug. 1998. 12 Oct. 2013 . Foner, Eric and Garraty, John A. “Spectator Sports.” The Reader’s Companion to American History. Houghton Mifflin Company. 1991. Elibrary.Web. 12 Oct. 2013. http://elibrary.bigchalk.com. Messner, Michael A. "Sports and Gender Relations." Body and culture. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2006. 47-59 Webber, Ben. "Women 's SPORTS Then and Now." Ebscohost.com.acess-proxy.sno-isle.org. 12 Mar. 2001. Scolastic Scope. 12 Oct. 2013 .