Over one million girls in the UK disengage in sports between primary and secondary school, a recent study has shown.
There are many studies that have categorised the reasons that young women cease participation in sports in their early to late teens. The main points include:
- internal factors such as confidence, pressure, embarrassment, or negative self-belief.
- existing stereotypes and the lack of female role models.
- other hobbies or commitments that result in a lack of time or preference for sport.
- teachers and perceived concentration on boys’ teams or the girls with high levels of sporting ability.
Struggles with motivation, pressure and poor body image
Only 34% of girls in years 9-11 enjoy taking part in sport and exercise in comparison to 55% of boys. More than twice as many boys in the same age group feel confident when exercising or playing sport than girls.
For girls in their mid-teens, some young women are discouraged from sport due to lack of confidence. 34% of girls aged 14-16 don’t take part in sport because they don’t like being watched. Other issues associated with body image and periods affect young girls taking part. According to WomeninSport, other reasons include not wanting to get hot and sweaty and not believing they have the right body shape.
Prioritising commitments outside of sport
Even from a young age, logistical barriers impose on women accessing sport. Young women are more likely to take on the burdens of caring for elderly or unwell relatives. Into adulthood, women have less time for leisure activities due to responsibilities such as housework and childcare.
Gernerally, access into sports is much easier for male athletes than female athletes. In 2021, among full time employees, the gender pay gap showed that men were paid 7.9% more than women. This demonstrates the cost of sporting activities and hobbies after reaching school-leaving age is inevitably a factor affecting adult women’s’ participation in sport.
Lack of female role models in sport
Last year the BBC reported female role models are vital to encourage more girls to play sport and take part in physical activity, according to Stormont research.
Social stigma also contributes to women dropping out of sports. Serena Williams is a 23-time tennis Grand Slam champion, holds three Olympic Gold medals and is arguably one of the most famous and successful tennis players in the world.
Throughout her success, Serena has been a victim of body-shaming, racism, and sexism at the hands of the press. Mark Wright, an Australian cartoonist published a satirical cartoon in 2019, that included a depiction of Serena. At the time of publication, it was condemned as racist and offensive, depicting Serena with exaggerated facial features and accentuated muscles, jumping up and down in an ‘ape-like’ manner. Serena is more often associated with controversy than the subject of her successes.
Williams’ is one of the biggest success stories of female athleticism of our time. But the media has scapegoated her so persistently, it’s obvious why Roger Federer, Christiano Ronaldo or Michael Jordan might be easier to idolise. With the recent decision by an Australian watchdog that Mark Wright’s cartoon was not racist, it’s apparent the media is not yet ready to accept responsibility for their role in masculinising and demonising female athletes.
Existing stereotypes and portrayals of female athletes
A 2019 study published in the Psychology Research Journal by Tereza Melicharkova found that the majority of female participants believed there are more lesbians in team sports than individual sports. Only 55% of teenage girls participate in team sports in comparison to nearly three-quarters of teenage boys (71%).
Stereotypes and speculation about the sexual orientation and gender identity of male athletes is rarely probed in the way female athletes are. Perceptions about women in sport being masculine or assumedly gay can deter teenage girls from pursuing that field.
Caster Semenya, has been scrutinised tirelessly throughout her career over spectulation about her gender. Some publications even claimed she was a “hermaphrodite”- a term now deemed prejudicial and impolite. Semenya’s abilities, her body and seemingly ‘masculine’ appearance fuelled rumours about the athlete being mis-gendered. This resulted in the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) ordering Semenya to take medication to lower her testosterone levels; a decision she appealed.
Education and adult influence that shapes attitudes towards sport
Women aren’t incentivised to pursue athletic careers as much as their male peers. Not only financially, but in terms of encouragement from parental and other adult influences. Funding4sport says ‘Adolescent females place greater emphasis on self-comparison and comments from adults than do adolescent males.’
Even when young women are interested in sport and excel in sporting activities, they are more likely to be discouraged if they receive negative feedback from coaches or teachers, or do not receive praise or recognition for their accomplishments.
Conclusion
The ‘physical inactivity gender gap’ is not a new phenomenon, and is prevalent across most countries. Stephanie Hilborne, the chief executive of Women in Sport, says ‘Teenage girls are not voluntarily leaving sport. They are being pushed out as a consequence of deep-rooted gender stereotypes. We must all do more to reverse this trend and not continue to accept this as inevitable.’
Emphasis on the bodies, sexuality and general demeanour of female athletes is a significant deterrent to young women. Based on the study by women in sport some key steps to re-engaging young girls in sport are: taking judgement and pressure out of sports; invoking excitement, creating a space where women in sport are valued and celebrated as much as men; redefining sports as a career rather than a school activity; and expanding the image of ‘sporty’, by highlighting relatable role models that are female sportswomen.
The education system, and parental influence can have a huge impact in making young women believe that sport and exercise has more benefits than just health. But the media can play the ultimate role in making the female athlete as visible, as important and as admirable as male athletes.