Gender Bias off of the Field

As we look at sports in today's era, it is still observed that women have been casted aside as the weaker sex.  This is evident not only through sports themselves, but also through such channels as sports casting and coaching.

In the video "Gender Communications: Women in Sports" it is noted by Sports Illustrated that, in 1991, less than 50 women were working as sportscasters. Although in recent years that number has increased considerably, it is clear that women are still undermined due to their lack of positions in the managerial department.  Women are not given any seniority and the average span of their career in sports news is about 10 years. Unfortunately, the majority of these women will never make it to a managerial position, as 65% of the management and administrative positions are still being held by men.

One large controversy in the area of women newscasters is women being allowed in the locker room. Many felt that it was disrespectful towards the players’ wives.  Others thought that a female sports reporter would not be able to handle herself in such a high testorone area. Although a law was passed in 1978 that allowed females to enter these locker rooms, there was still a large amount of criticism. The fact that people didn't give these females enough respect is degrading towards them. Many times, these sports reporters were harassed and scolded by not only players in the locker room, but also by their male counterparts in the business. It should also be noted that that these female reporters were rarely hired for their knowledge of sports. They were hired mostly for their physical appearance and looks. Despite the hard work that these women put in, they can only be seen as sex symbols. They were also only hired to add a feminine touch to the male dominated airwaves, and to increase the amount of viewers through their physical attraction. These female reporters felt pressured in maintaining their appearance in order to keep their jobs. They also mentioned that they felt as if they didn't have to endure the same obstacles or frustrations as males doing the same job.

News casting is not the only avenue that women face a gender bias in. Women are secluded and demoralized in many facets of sports. In the past, female access was restricted from training rooms.  Although this rule has since been demolished, and that the number of female trainers is rising, many question women’s validity and superiority.

As we look into sports today, there are currently no female head trainers in any of the four major leagues; the NFL, NHL, MLB, and NBA. A major influence on teams and sports comes from the knowledge and ability of a good coach. In terms of distribution among genders, it is noted that women's sports teams are more likely coached by males instead of females. Female coaches’ feel that they need to do extra work just to get notoriety, and that their accomplishments are belittled. This leaves them with sense of degradation and inadequacy about their profession or talents.

It is clear than on and off the field, women are faced with many barriers. Female athletes, newscasters, trainers, and coaches alike all face the same issues in a male dominated industry. Their accomplishments are belittled, and they have an immensely  harder time getting the same jobs that men do.