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Discrimination in gymnastics.

By: Ali Solberg

In what ways gymnasts are discriminated against?

In what ways gymnasts are discriminated against?

Body image.

1. Body image

There is this stereotypical idea of what a gymnast should look like. When gymnasts, coaches, and even judges think a gymnast doesn’t fit this standard they will treat them differently or not coach them enough or even judge them fairly at meets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggUuSh-ETDI&list=WL&index=3&t=320s 5:20

I’ve been consumed with the thought that bigger is synonymous to less than, That only those people with the right, perfect bodies have the right to stand. But here today, I stand, with the love that penetrates deeper than any wedding band. Because I am my own size, and no words or judgmental stares will make me compromise

-Katelyn Ohashi

Gender

2. Gender

If a Gymnast identifies as transgender or non-binary there will usually be a lot of discrimination against them. USAG has been and currently is working on new rules for these individuals. The board had just updated the inclusion policy in October of 2020.

https://www.usagym.org/PDFs/About%20USA%20Gymnastics/transgender_policy.pdf

Ethnicity

3. Ethnicity

Most times anybody that comes from a different ethnicity is seen as not fit for the sport. African American gymnasts are slowly being accepted even more than all of them. But anyone from a different ethnicity (mostly in the US) is out casted from teams and other things like that.

Social class

4. Social class

Sometimes when a gymnast is committed and should be taking more practice but they can't because their parent's financial situation can’t pay for it. Sometimes gyms try to find a way to lower the cost for them or make deals so they can pay it off. But gymnasts will make fun of this individual because they don’t go to normal practices, can't do any practices etc.

What organizations that are in charge play a role in this?

What organizations that are in charge play a role in this?

Any organization from USAG (United States of America Gymnastics) to MAGA (Midwest Amateur Gymnastics Association) is currently trying to limit any type of discrimination.

Judges

Judges

Judges can be the most biased out of anybody most times. Even though their job is to judge the gymnasts. Lots of times you can notice them being biased in ways such as but are not limited to Order, skill, identity, body image, etc. This is a big thing because a gymnast's scores are how they are viewed basically. So if a judge scores an individual unfairly because they are different from the stereotypical body image then that gymnast isn’t getting the score they deserve and then could stop them from going further into gymnastics.

how does this change through the levels?

how does this change through the levels?

You don’t usually see judge bias during lower-level competitions. Usually, everybody is doing the same routine, orders are all random and there isn’t one that much rivalry between teams yet, and leos are all mostly the same simple designs. At younger and lower levels gymnasts usually aren’t too self-conscious yet either. Mainly because none of them have had any need to be. There are almost zero differences between the skills each gymnast has and at the younger ages, they all mostly have the same body type. Although from my interview with the owner of PEG and the president of MAGA, Amanda Ross. She said that "You never see it at all in levels 1 or 2 but as soon as they hit level 3 its like hitting a wall. They become so judgmental and constantly jeoulos of each other. This is when gymnasts start doing more skills and their skills start being different then each other.

How do gymnasts usually see themselves.

How do gymnasts see themselves?

As a gymnast, you constantly feel like there is a standard you need to meet in multiple ways. It could be anything from the way you are supposed to look to the skills your parents expect you to have by the next meeting. For every individual, it will be different. Lots of times an individual will feel that they don't belong in the sport or that others don't belong in it either because of those various reasons again.

What should a coach look for in a Gymnast?

Coaches

Ideally, coaches should be looking for athletes who are dedicated to the sport of gymnastics. That they want to get better and have a good mindset and get along with everyone on their team. Their skills should be consistent and should fit the level they were placed on.

How does height/weight affect all skills in how they are done?

Physics of height and weight affecting skills.

Center of Gravity

Center of Gravity

Being shorter to the ground gives a gymnast an advantage in balance because the gymnast has a lower center of gravity. The center of gravity is the midpoint of the body, generally one inch below the navel when a gymnast stands with her arms at her side. The lower the center of gravity is to the base of support, the better the balance will be. The base of support is the body parts and apparatus supporting the gymnast’s weight. For example, when two gymnasts walk across a balance beam, the shorter gymnast’s lower center of gravity gives her a balanced advantage.

Rotations

Rotations

Height affects a gymnast’s ability to rotate her body. A study published in the July 2003 issue of “Sports Biomechanics,” the journal of the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports, found that smaller gymnasts, with high strength-to-mass ratios, were better equipped to perform skills involving whole-body rotations, both forward and backward, and in twisting motions. Larger gymnasts could not match the rotational performance of the smaller ones.

How does the equipment help by being adjustable?

How does the equipment help by being adjustable?

The equipment being adjustable makes it so much more inclusive to others. Those who are taller can raise the bar set so while swinging they don’t hit the low bar or the floor. The same thing with vault, For those that are doing blogger skills or are taller is going to want the table higher and more springs on the board. For those who are just learning how to vault or are shorter, the table can be lowered so it is not as frightening and it would be easier to get over the table. Someone smaller also wouldn’t be able to vault with six springs in the board so then they might need two or three. Most beams are also adjustable in height while training new skills. Gymnasts are all required to compete on a higher beam though.

Timeline

The first time gymnastics was in the olympics.

1986

First U.S. women's Olympic team gold medal

1996

Both Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles competed in the 2012 olympics and have paved the way for more gymnasts to come.

Timeline

In 2008 the tallest gymnast to ever compete at the olympics Marie-Sophie Hindermann

1992

First african american gymnast to win an individual medal in the sport was Dominique Dawes.

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