GRSJ224/advancementforgenderequityinsport

Introduction

From a current and historical standpoint, there has been a large discrepancy between gender equity for male and female participants in sport. Federal and governing bodies have acknowledged this issue and created opportunities for advancement of gender equity in sport. In sport and physical activity participation, gender equity is a topic that will need to continually challenged and pushed towards bridging the gaps of opportunity between sexes. 

Why Should We Care?

There is unanimous international agreement to the positive takeaways from individuals, communities and nations participating in physical activity [1]. At a local level, sport participation is important for girls as it facilitates the learning of important life skills, teamwork, leadership and confidence [1]. Instilling these qualities to girls at young age is imperitive in the development of positive physical, psychological and social benefits [2].

What is Gender Equity?

Gender equity is the process of allocating resources, programs and decision-making fairly for both males and females [3]. In doing so, this ensures that everyone has equal opportunity to social, psychological and physical benefits found from participation and leadership within sport and physical activity [3]. However, this does not mean that the structuring of these activities always reflects the same for males and females. Some programs may be altered while others will be all the while different based on varying needs [3]. 

The Participation Rates

The participation rates for girls between ages 2-17 in Canada are at 59%, however, small portions of this makeup, 22%, participate in team based sports while most typically prefer individual or creative forms of participation such as dance, gymnastics or ballet [8].

Although the majority of younger girls do participate, there is a drastic decline of female participation in adolescents compared to their male counterparts. Adolescent participation is a critical point in sport involvement for girls as the participation rate drops by 22%, and school organized sports participation drop an associated 26% [8].

For females, early participation in sport is critical for the development of lifelong ties to physical activity. At the age of 10, if a girl has yet to be involved in sport there is only a 10% change she will become physically active later in life as an adult [8].

The Barrier to Participation

The reflection of participation rates between men and women can be represented by the following barriers: practical, personal, social and cultural. 

Practical 

Funding 

At most levels, women’s sports attracts less funding and sponsorship from local businesses than men’s because of their smaller or lack of supporter bases [9]. 

Safety

Safety on streets, transport and in and around sport facilities have been identified as barriers [9].

Personal 

Lack of self confidence 

Girls generally have a lower self confidenca than boys and a more negative rating of their performance or ability than boys [9]. 

Body Image 

Most female adolsecents report of greater body image dissatisfaction than males. The more self-conscious females are towards their body image the less they are likely to participate, this issue has become a vicious cycle, even though participation in physical activity is reported with positive perceptions of thier bodies [9]. 

Social and Cultural 

The male-dominated culture of sport 

Some women are turned off by sport all together because it is viewed as a male-dominated activity. In many cases, women’s lack of participation in sport is associated with developed ideology of the inability to express their feminism with participation [9]. 

Lack of female role models in sport 

Women are underrepresented in sport at all levels and in all roles. Finding work in a sector that is a minority can give women the impression that women don’t belong in the community of sport [9].  

The Efforts to Intervention

Title IX

Established in 1072, Title IX was created to provide everyone with equal access and opportunity to any program or activity that receives Federal financial assistance, including sports in the United States []. This created a platform for gender equality, additionally making a national statement towards their involvement and support of this issue. This title ensures that no person based on the bias of sex will be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or subjected to any form of discrimination towards any educational program or activity that is receiving Federal financial assistance []. This created strides within post secondary institutions as they were demanded to provide the equal funding for both genders [6].

Canada's Statement

The Liberal government in Canada is pushing towards gender equity in sport by 2035. The announcement for the 2018 federal budget comes with an initiative of $30 million dollars over three years towards attaining this goal [4]. The objective is; to encourage and foster sport environments from playground to podium, for women to actively engage within Canadian sport as coaches and leaders, and that women be actively engaged as governance leaders of Canadian sport organizations at a federal and international level [5]. 

BC's Statement

The BC government is committed to ensuring a balanced representation of gender in sport by creating an environment where participants are provided with fair, unbiased, equitable access to participation and quality of sport, leadership roles and physical activity programming. The goal of this implementation is for all females, women and girls to be equitably represented in all forms of sport and physical activity, and for the active engagement of as athletes, coaches, leaders, participants and administrations in all areas and levels of sport and physical activity [7]. 

References

[1] Bailey, R., Wellard, I., Dismore, H. (n.d).  Girls Participation in Physical Activities and Sports: Benefits, Patterns, Influences and Ways Forward. World Health Organization. Retrieved from: https://www.icsspe.org/sites/default/files/Girls.pdf 

[2]  Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity. (n.d). Facts and Stats. Retrieved from: https://www.caaws.ca/gender-equity-101/what-is-gender-equity/

[3] Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity. (n.d). Gender Equity 101. Retrieved from: https://www.caaws.ca/gender-equity-101/what-is-gender-equity/

[4] CBC. (2018). Sports: Liberals play long game on gender equity. Retrieved from: https://www.cbc.ca/sports/canada-2018-budget-gender-equality-sports-1.4556119

[5] Government of Canada. (2017). Actively Engaged: A Policy on Sport for Women and Girls. Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/sport-policies-acts-regulations/policy-actively-engaged-women-girls.html

[6] The She Network. (2018). Educate: Title IX and the Rise of Female Athletes in America. Retrieved from: https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/education/title-ix-and-the-rise-of-female-athletes-in-america/ 

[7] ViaSport Brisith Columbia. (2018). Policies: ViaSport gender equity in sport and physical activity settings. Retrieved from: https://www.viasport.ca/gender-equity-policy

[8] Women’s Sports Foundation. (2018). Support Us. Retrieved from: https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/support-us/do-you-know-the-factors-influencing-girls-participation-in-sports/ 

[9] Women In Sport. (2008). Barriers to Sports Participation from Women and Girls. Retrieved from: https://www.womeninsport.org/research-advice-service/research-and-insight/barriers-sports-participation-women-girls/