Women Triathlon Runners

The same olympics that a 243-strong men’s team won only six gold, six silver and 11 bronze medals.

There are many factors athletes have to over come in order to become apart of our sporting history. Peter Figueroa developed a framework to look particularly at how equality and access to society are affected by a person's race, but it can also be applied to other aspects of sport sociology

"The level of Figueroa's Framework that has the greatest influence on an individual's sports participation will vary" (Text book Pg. 299)

However, in the diagram you have just seen the individual level is situated at the top because without a love for sport or a wish to join a athlete will get nowhere. As we go down the pyramid the sections get bigger because more powerful influences come into the mix and many athletes can be either positively or negitively effected.

There are also other factors that make it harder for women to make a successful career out of sport. Most of these factors are less likely to inhibit their male counterparts.

Harasment in sport

Most sports organisations do not have adequate mechanisms in place to help protect frightened athletes and to exclude harassers and abusers.

Less Access to Facilities

In a school level males are are allowed more access to equipment, space and

teaching time.

Boys are just Better

Less Sponsorship

No Future Opportunities

Financial Hardships

Neglecting Motherly duties

It is now illegal to discriminate against a woman who plays sport on the grounds of pregnancy or potential pregnancy. For example, a female athlete could have grounds to sue if she wasn’t selected for the team because of her pregnancy.

Becoming to Masculine

Lack of positive role models

Poor/bad media coverage

Media coverage directly affects a team’s ability to gain sponsorship dollars.

Media's Impact

Not Enough media coverage...

The media has a more of a sex sells view on sport and regularly pressures athletes to wear revealing clothing

Some sponcers have even suggested that if women want more media coverage they need to give more sex appeal.

Not all coverage is good...

Female athletes are constantly judged in terms of their attractiveness and body type.

Unfortunatly this is instead of looking at the qualities that define them as athletes.

The media sellects different Language devises that have "the ability to influence the audience’s perception of a situation." Females are often represented by the media with descriptions that "emphasise their physical attractiveness.

(from: http://www.oup.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/198001/PDHPE_HSC_e_chapter_Ch15.pdf)

THE END!

1. You Tube, 2011, Ironman Triathlon, Available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvAluJgstgQ (Accessed 14/11/11)

2. You Tube, 2011 The Crawl - 1997, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTn1v5TGK_w (Accessed 11/11/11)

3. Women's Sport’s Foundation, 2011, About Women's Sport Foundation Available: http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/home/about-us /(Accessed 14/11/11)

(very good movie put in in at the end after talking about the women’s sports foundation)

4. CBS, 2011, Women in sport, Available: www.cbssports.com(Accessed 14/11/11)

5. Shoes, 2011, Triathlon Runners, Available: www.titlenine.com/category/who+are+we(Accessed 14/11/11)

6. Women Sport International, 2010, Sexual Harassment, Available: http://www.sportsbiz.bz/womensportinternational/taskforces/harassment_brochure.htm (Accessed 13/11/11)

7. Sport and Physical Activity, 2011, Gender, Available: http://www.oup.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/198001/PDHPE_HSC_e_chapter_Ch15.pdf (Accessed 13/14/11)

8. Tara Steel, 2010, Is Australia Really the Sporting nation? Available: http://www.australianwomensport.com.au/images/Articles/Is%20Australia%20really%20the%20sporting%20nation.pdf(Accessed 14/11/11)

9. Ezi Sports, 2011, Lots of sports, Available: http://www.ezisports.com.au/product_images/uploaded_images/Sprint_Triathlon_Training1G.gif (Accessed 10/11/11)

10. Scott Jonas, 2010, Should women play sport?, Available: www.jesus-is-savior.com/.../masculine_women.htm (Accessed 14/11/11)

(Christian site against women in sport)

11. Participating in sport, 2011, History, Available: http://www.ausport.gov.au/participating/women/about/history (Accessed 14/11/11)

12. Hede, C., Russell, K. Weatherby, R. 2011, “Senior Physical Education for Queensland”, Oxford, Melbourne.

Sex, Discrimination and Sport

Women in Sport and Triathlon

1. The History of Women In Sport

Sydneysiders Fanny Durack and Mina Wylie took out the 100m freestyle gold and silver medals respectively at the Stockholm Olympics. The first-ever swimming event open to women at an Olympic Games.

44 women athletes paticpated in the olympics and as a team won seven gold, two silver and three bronze medals

The world’s first bike race for women was held over two miles at Ashfield

Athletes who succeeded during the late 1940s and onwards, received media attention that mainly focused on their personal lives not their sporting achievement.

The Australian Institute of Sport opened in 1981 before and women started receiving financial support and encouragement.

The Australian Government launched a program to increase girls’ self-esteem through physical education, "The Girls in Physical Education Project."

Women/sport lobby groups started. Their first issue was the need for more women’s sports grounds.

1860

1880

Cathy Freeman won Gold in the Sydney 2000 Olympics

Women’s sport passed the $1billion mark in total sponsorship, However men’s sport sponcership at $25 billion!

The athletic union nominated no women athletes for Olympic track and field scholarships

1900

1920

A act was passed which made it unlawful to discriminate against a person on the grounds of sex, marital status or pregnancy. Thus sporting clubs were forced to open an option of full membership to women.

1940

Women In Sport

THE 20th CENTURY

1960

1980

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

From (http://www.ausport.gov.au/participating/women/about/history )

Promoting Triathlons and Women in Society

Our Sporting Ladies

Having a positive 5 min segment in the news devoted to women’s sport, they already have a segment devoted to sport in which only male sport is depicted.

A Overview of everything

• The history of Iron Man/Women
• Postive media coverage fo Julie Moss (endurance and will)
• There are more men in the competitions, however the women continue to make an impression
• The Benifits of Triathlon
• Acceptance to everyone you don't have to have a models body

2. Sociology of Sport

Reasons to join...

They love the sport

National pride

They wish to get fit

Brought up with sports

Lose weight and keep Healthy

Don't Join...

Getting dirty, sweaty and uncomfortable

Body image

(looking to masculine)

'Girls arn't as good' belief

Values, attitudes, personality, genes

Individual Level

Can go either way

Admired by friends and peers

Getting laughed at by peers

Being called 'freak', 'butch or even a lesbian

'How is she so fit?', 'Wow she's amazing', 'What a good physic' comments like this increase peoples confidence

Not enough female sporting coaches to relate too.

Encouragement from your family

Attending matches/meets, transport, paying the cost of the sport etc.

There is double the amount of male coaches in sport

No encouragement from families

The recent increase of female P.E teachers in Australian Schools.

Do something that will be useful later on in life

Role models looking weird or 'uncool'

For females having a teacher of the same sex to look up to and mentor them is important, because they can relate to the dificulties of being a female in a sport/sporting career.

'I don't want to look like that' in front of everyone...

How embarrasing!

Fit good looking role models

I want to be and look like her!

Peers, family, teachers, coaches, role models

FIGUEROA'S LEVELS

Interpersonal Level

Sporting Clubs

School facilities

School Programs

Encourages sport participation in schools

- Indoor stadiums allow students to play sports on wet days and when the sun is to hot to go on the oval.

- Equipment helps with safety and skill development

After school programs/care have many activities for both girls and boys to participate. This helps promote health and activity.

Sporting clubs help acclimatise kids to sport from a early age however it depends highly on the attitudes of the club and coaches.

E.g. Siena's U15's coach has developed a no girls policy

This was first noticed in 2010 when it was noted that there was no girls in the Siena team.

When talking to a girl from the Siena area she stated that “The coach doesn't let girls play on the team”. Later one of the player's on his team said that they hold trials and no girls ever show up. This may mean that girls are being discouraged to play or a scared of trying out in case of looking stupid when they aren't selected.

Religion

Religion impacts women's participation in sport because beliefs and behaviours inhibit them from either participating or being serious competitors.

Muslim women are expected to wear a covering (hid jabs) which increases resistance in air and water resistance.

Community, school, facilities, rules, religion

Institutional Level

Media

Government

Identity

History

Over the years media hasn't given the best support to women in sport.

E.g. in 1980 only 2% of sports media was received by women. In 1988, 2.5% was given. Then in 1996 it increased to 10.7% (which is still way below the amount the men received.)

Sport is heavily ingrained in our culture and plays an important role in forming the Australian identity.

“The Queensland Government made it compulsory for all junior high school students (years 8 and 9) to participate in two hours of moderate physical activity each week.” (Textbook Pg. 360)

"Unlike men, women were not believed to be strong enough to withstand vigorous activity."

The fostered belief of that time was that too strenuous activity would do damage to their reproductive organs. Golf was one of the sports that was partly acceptable.

(Textbook pg. 311)

Change for the Better

(Textbook Pg. 337)

Development Programs

In todays society their are still "lingering assumptions about how men and women should behave"(Textbook pg. 315).

Sponsorships

Women's Rugby

Ethnic Background

Sports Development Programs strive to give young men and women the chance to pursue a sporting careers in officiating combined with their educational studies.

Gender Stereotypes

Sponsorship relies heavily on the media coverage of a sport. A company will not sponsor a club/athlete if they are not on TV. Some business have said that "Sportswomen may have to play the `sex appeal' card to attract more media coverage and therefore more sponsorship,"

Marketing/Commodification

In other cultures different sports are more popular than others. In Australia Aussie rules and rugby are extremly popular, where as in other countries different sports excel.

Society's perceptions on how women should be smaller, weaker and beautiful mean that "women who show masculine traits often have their sexuality questioned; they are often labelled 'butch' or 'lesbian'. (Textbook pg. 318)

"The commodification has caused some sports to change so that they better suit the needs of business". This means that some sports are changed to appeal to fans. This includes making women's sport more feminine or have a greater sex appeal.

Men's Ballet

Cultural Level

VS.

Structural Level

Histroy, identity, socialisation, gender stereotypes, ethnic background etc.

Policies, funding, media, development programs, marketing, sponsorship

*More on Media later on...

Promoting Triathlons

Divide the classes into girls and boys in the first few teenage years, when the girls are just starting to get self-conscious of their reputation and body image. For girls getting hot and sweaty in front of just girls.

It also gives them the opportunity to get more involved and compete against people in the same level. In later years the classes can be re-joined.

In schools

Hold fundraisers with the aim to get at least 5 bikes within each state school. (Also ask the government for support).

With this it would be easier for schools to hold classes and after school training sessions.

MEDIA BOARD

COACHES

There is a need to have more females in important places.

“Until you have more women in positions of influence, whether that be parliament or in sports etc and the media see having a sport like hockey or women’s sport are going top sell papers or pay television subscriptions, not much is going to change.”

TEACHERS

The Matilda’s were unable to gain coverage from the media so decided that what they needed to do was something big. In the end they stooped to making a nude calendar. It got them more coverage but not for their sporting achievements. This sets a bad example for younger females and also adds to the reasons why women would reconsider taking on sport for their carrier.

The sports that are male dominated receive more media coverage (Football, AFL and Rugby League)

“Most media attention is given to men’s sporting teams. Although female sports coverage is on the increase, the change has been very slow and equal coverage in the near future seems unlikely.” (pg.333)

Promoting Women in Sport

Womens Headlines

Mens Headlines

• ‘Warriors maul blues attack’

• ‘FC shot down in a blaze of glory’

• ‘Angry Storm vents full fury’

• ‘Dragons find their fighting spirit’

• ‘Clarkson’s army enforcing defensive revolution … Hawks shaping for war’

• ‘Glamour Ana’

• ‘Sexy Ivanovic charms Sydney’

• ‘Water babes’

• ‘Courting battle of the babes’

• ‘Champions put emphasis on clothing … sartorial stunners’

Costs

Not paid as much as men

$100-$300 (Helmet)

$90-$200 (Swimwear)

Some male athletes are paid phenomenal wages to play sport, both in

Australia and abroad, while leading female sports such as netball and basketball have only in recent years stopped paying for their sports to be broadcast, a

Sports Drinks

and Nutrients

practice that hockey still

endures.

$250 (shoes)

$2000-$8000 (Bike)

Total = $6,560

Excluding on going Event, Travel and Transportating Costs

“Even students who are talented at a particular sport may quit it because a sporting career is not realistic or because of the social expectations of their gender.”

Sexploitation

"Language is a powerful tool used by the media, and it has the ability to influence the audience’s perception of a situation." Females are often represented by the media with descriptions that "emphasise their physical attractiveness."

Example

The headline read; ‘Sexy Ivanovic charms Sydney’ (9 January 2008).

Same Magazine, Different Gender

Ana Ivanovic is a talented tennis player however the headline and the image, while showing the trophy she won, emphasises mainly her feminin charm, also the fact that she is has no visual shirt also increases the sex appeal.

More for Men

In 2001 women’s sport just reached the $1billion mark in total sponsorship, while men’s sport was at $25 billion.

Triathlons e.g.....

Sponsors that have supported women’s sporting teams in recent years include the ANZ Bank (netball), Westfield (soccer), the Australian Defence Force (basketball) and the Commonwealth Bank (cricket).

The difference between men’s and women’s triathlon uniforms is an example of sexploitation for female athletes.

There has been very little womens Triathlon Sponcerships

FAST FACT!

Wanting Kids

Elite sports women don't wish to get pregnant for fear of what it could do to their career.

Because the athletes are put on intense training schedules there is supposedly less time with the kids and less time to do work around the house.

• Could get left behind with the lack a training
• May have injury during the pregnacy
• Hormones such as relaxin soften ligaments, which increases your risk of joint injuries.
• The extra weight places additional strain on joints and muscles.
• Your growing belly affects your balance by pushing your centre of gravity forward.

When it gets closer to event season training picks up to approximately 5 and a half hours a day.

Most women want children and having to put it off to pursue a sporting career is not on their agenda even if they have ability in sport. Men do not have to choose like this because, like in most cultures, the male is the provider and the female is the one who looks after the house and children.

The viewing of female athletes simply in terms of "their sexual attributes rather than their athletic endeavours has the potential to denigrate the individual both as an athlete and as a woman."

(from: http://www.oup.com.au)

Unlike the women’s issue the Sub titles and photo emphasises the athletes talent

Emphasises her body

It has even been said that the media will use girls who aren’t triathlete’s so they can get a "good photo". Not only does this create incorrect stereotypes but it decreases the amount of money that could be given to actual athletes for event and equipment costs

Barriers

The term Sexploitation is not simply a matter of skimpy costumes on female bodies. It is also the inappropriate portrayal of female athletes either in their sporting apparel or in alternative situations.

In some sport the natural body proportions of women effect their ability.

Simona Halep has recently had breast reduction surgery

It was said that her 34DD breasts were slowing down her movement and her reactions on the court and thus she wasn't performing as well as she could.

Halep has commented: “The breasts make me uncomfortable when I play,” before going on to say: “”I don’t like them in my everyday life either. I would have gone for surgery, too, if I hadn’t been a sportswoman.”

from (http://inyourface.ocregister.com/tag/simona-halep/)

Results at the Noosa Tri - 2011

This shouldn't really matter....

Women compete againsnt women and men compete against, therefore there is the smae level of competition.

Even when women are at the top of their sporting feild they are still considered as second class citizens when it comes to sport.

The top female is around 20mins behind the male leader, so although the competition is just as fierce the men's race is completed in a more competitive time.

Mens

David Dellow                   Mooloolaba                  1:46:36

Paul Matthews                   Casuarina                   1:47:01

James Seear                     Brookfield                     1:47:42

Clayton Fettell                   Alstonville                   1:47:49

Ryan Fisher                       Kenmore Hills               1:48:14

Bryce McMaster                 Daisy Hill                     1:48:48

Clark Ellice                        New Zealand                1:49:21

Ryan Sissons                     New Zealand                1:50:04

Joseph Lampe                  Lennox Head                1:51:04

Christopher McCormack     Burraneer                 1:51:37

Womens

Melissa Rollison                Indooroopilly             2:00:25

Emma Jackson                 Joyner                           2:01:09

Kate McIlroy                    New Zealand                2:01:46

Felicity Sheedy-Ryan        Wembley                   2:04:03

Matilda Reynolds              Surry Hills                   2:08:28  

Belinda Granger               Noosa Heads               2:08:56

Ellie Salthouse                 Balmoral                       2:09:01

Lisa Marangon                 Vancluse                      2:09:30

Tara Prowse                    Willoughby                   2:10:40

Chloe Turner                   Buderim                        2:10:51

Top 10 Barriers

Lossing feminity

and Body Image

Women who actively pursued team sports were regarded as masculine and unattractive, as their bodies developed muscularity.

It was once believed that women were meant to be dainty, graceful and elegant, not active and muscular. This view still lingers in modern day society.

When a female becomes good at sport she is admired but is often called butch or ‘a freak’.

A common one statement is that she’s just one of the boys or she’s such a man. So although she is a talented athlete she is often ridiculed.

Many teenager girls are worried that becoming too masculine, will mean that it will be 'difficult to find a guy!'

Athletes Liz Cambage and Matthew Mitchem

Lesbian Stereotypes

The lesbian stereotype exerts pressure on athletes to demonstrate their feminity and heterosexuality.

The Matilda's effort to gain media coverage enforced a negitive stereotype, and made girls who have seen the explicit

images believe that sex appeal is the only way to gain sponcers or attention

Exploitation, Sex sells

to Women

"Many females drop out of sport rather than continue being subjected to the undermining effects of constant harassment and abuse."

So are you going to do something??

My Source List....