Even though we have made significant progress in terms of gender equality, there is still a long way to go. Sport is one of the few professions in which gender segregation is not only persistent on a wide scale but also is also considered socially acceptable. Arguably the biggest factor behind this social acceptance of gender segregation in sports is the belief that women are inferior to men in terms of physical strength and endurance. However, this belief is more the product of traditions and historical gender perceptions rather than proven by research literature. It is time for men and women to compete in sports together because examples from sports as well as other professions teach us that women have frequently surpassed our expectations when given the opportunity to prove themselves.
The supporters of segregation in sports often display poor understanding of the factors that determine success in professional sports. They frequently overemphasize the importance of physical strength and downplay the importance of techniques. In reality, techniques often matter more than the physical demands of the sports. It is unfortunate many sports bodies have been unwilling to desegregate their respective sports even though they understand that women are capable of performing at higher levels than we give them credit for. Sarah Taylor of English Cricket Team was considered a great fit for men county cricket league in England few years ago but she was ultimately denied the opportunity due to sexist stereotypes that refuse to go away (Lawson). We also have examples of other female sports stars that are perfectly capable of competing against men including Serena Williams in tennis and Lexi Thompson in golf. If physical strength and endurance were the primary determinants of success in sports, the most successful male athletes in their respective sports would be those with the greatest physical strengths and endurance yet that is rarely the case.
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"Should Men and Women Compete in Sports Together".
It is important to recognize that gender stereotypes are as old as history of mankind itself. Gender stereotypes prevented women from accessing opportunities in many professions for a long time because women were considered inferior to men in both physical and intellectual terms. This explains why women are far outnumbered by men when we study the history of different professions including science, arts, business, politics, academia, and literature. It is not that women were less capable than men in older times than they are now; women simply had access to far fewer opportunities to demonstrate their true potential in the past as compared to now even though gender inequality remains an issue. Once the society gave opportunities to women, women demonstrated they could hold their own against men whether it is being a welder or an astronaut (Gambescia). If women seem less successful in sports today as compared to men, it might not be their potential that is holding them back but rather lack of access to opportunities to develop their talent and test themselves at the most competitive levels. Even if we only look at the development of female athletes in a particular sport over time, we cannot help but observe the tremendous gains female athletes have made in terms of raw power and techniques. This is nothing but an evidence of what happens when female athletes gain access to better opportunities.
Men and women should compete in sports together because sports should also be desegregated like many other sports. Female athletes like Serena Williams can hold their own against male athletes if given the opportunity, and the performance gap between men and women should decline in sports over time as the history of other professions indicates. The critics often make the mistake of overemphasizing the importance of physical strength and endurance while downplaying the importance of techniques in sports. They also fail to notice the fact that physical strength and endurance are unreliable indicators of professional success for male athletes in physically-demanding sports as well.
- Gambescia, Stephen F. Men and women should compete together in non-contact sports. 10 September 2018. 28 October 2018
- Lawson, Sian. If sportswomen are good enough to compete alongside men, why bar them? . 14 August 2013. 28 October 2018
