Women playing football

TRANSFORMING THE STATUS QUO OF WOMEN IN SPORTS

INTRODUCTION 

The Banyana Banyana WAFCON win impacts a change in the gender discrimination circumstance in South African sports. Gender discrimination can be defined as denying one access to a right or opportunity based on their gender, but not necessarily on the sexual orientation of a person. In addition, gender discrimination includes harassment or discrimination based on sex, gender identity or gender expression. Gender discrimination is an issue in various countries and has been taken into consideration by certain countries.

THE CHALLENGES 

Gender discrimination in sports has been ongoing for the past couple of years. In this sense, a swift change happened in South Africa when Banyana Banyana made South Africa thrilled with triumph after winning the WAFCON cup. Suddenly, things turned positive for the South African women’s team. The President had taken it upon himself to enforce change in the structural gender injustice of women being paid less than men in sports. Therefore, greater levels of equality pertaining to payment of their male counterparts had been promised. 

Remaining central to the issues faced is why it took so long to implement. Why did it have to take a win for our girls’ team rights to be recognised after quite a long time finally? For a certain period, Banyana Banyana has been vocal about how unequally they are treated, compared to Bafana Bafana, where these teams play the same sport and are representatives of the nation’s soccer team. The gender pay gap in sports means persistent unequal pay in sports, particularly for women. Soccer ranks number 3 in the biggest pay gap sports in the world.

THE WAY FORWARD 

Women’s sports management should implement the pay transparency policy, as done for men. This will give women the revelation they need and help keep them educated on whether they are paid more or less than their male counterparts. 

Also, improving the coverage and the marketing of women’s sports, marketing women’s sports can help give society the education that women can be as athletic in the same way as men. In the same way, men’s sports are celebrated to a greater extent; celebrating women’s sports just the same can be crucial and assist in curbing stereotypes. 

Furthermore, there need to be representative groups which stand for women in sports and can voice out women’s concerns and the difficulties that they face. 

CONCLUSION

In summation, respect for the human rights of women is crucial. The meaning of human rights means equality in all aspects, but it still seems as if this is something that women in sports have to fight extra hard to attain. These societal expectations for women in sports have created a toxic stereotype, as it affects a substantial number of women. Now that women have been more vocal, let us hope for change. 

 

Thandiwe Nonkonyana

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