Interview on Women Participation in Sports and Leisure - Essay Sample

The role played by women in the society has always been undermined. In most cases, they are offered fewer privileges compared to their male counterparts. The paper focusses on their role in sports and other leisure activities. The information used was gathered by interviewing a forty-eight years old Native Indian American female. Her life in high school, which was in the 1980s, is analyzed and the situation is compared to present times. The comparison reveals the trend in behaviors and attitudes towards girls in society.

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According to the interviewee, the sports offered for girls at her school included cheerleading, hockey, and tennis. She also explains that soccer had been introduced, but it was scrapped off due to lack of players. Based on the information provided, the women sports, except cheerleading, were underpopulated. Few students were willing to participate because of the stigma associated with the exercises. The society had the perception that games symbolized masculinity (Senne, 2016). As such, females who took part in these activities were labeled as lesbians. The rest of the school ostracized them and branded them ugly. Cheerleading was the only girl sport that was widely accepted. However, it was seen as a form of entertainment and a source of support for the boys soccer teams. She also explains that she did not participate in any of the sports since her parents found them distracting and unladylike. Instead, they advised her to join clubs such as the debate team.

Regarding sexual behavior, she claimed that the society expected girls to maintain their chastity until marriage. The females were taught to be shy and reserved in matters concerning opposite sex relationships. Additionally, they were not allowed to express their sexual desire (Lefkowitz, Shearer, Gillen, & Espinosa-Hernandez, 2014). For instance, it was unacceptable for a woman to ask a man out on a date. To make matters worse issues such as early teenage pregnancy and contraction of sexually transmitted infections led to massive scandals and judgment from the community. On the other hand, boys were not restricted. It was not a big deal if a male had multiple sexual partners. In fact, promiscuous menfolk were sometimes viewed as conquerors and symbols of masculinity. The men were not victimized even when caught in compromising situations. The blame fell on their partners.

When questioned about the leisure activities during her time, she explained that women often used their free time to go shopping. Aside from that, they watched movies in theaters or attended music concerts. She also stated that some engaged in traditional activities such as knitting. Her preferred leisure activity was looking at movies and shopping.

Upon analyzing her life, it is evident that a lot has since her time in high school. She took up tennis once she gained independence from her parents. She explained that she loved the sport and had planned to try it out as soon as an opportunity presented itself. Additionally, the establishment of a local tennis court made her dream achievable. She also joined a body builders society. During her younger years, participation in such a game was not tolerated. However, the changing perception of gender roles has allowed her to be part of a competitive team. Similarly, her opinions on sexuality have also changed. She believes that women have the right to express their sexual needs and desires. However, she still supports the need for chastity among the young females.

After conducting the interview, I learned that in the 1980s, women were not empowered. The stereotypes on gender roles oppressed women by denying them access to development opportunities. The female fork was reduced to stay at home mothers, and those that worked had low-level jobs (Kachel, Steffens, &Niedlich, 2016). In schools, they were discouraged from using their talents and abilities, especially those that involved activities that were considered masculine. Notably, there are several similarities and differences between her life experiences and mine.

In both periods, the women are subjected to high standards of sexual behavior. Females are expected to be virtuous. Additionally, in the case of any misbehavior, the girls are blamed while the boys get away with the mistake. Similarly, just like in the 1980s, mens sports are emphasized more those of women. For instance, the male football Olympics is a world festival while very few people even know that there is a similar event for female talent.

However, there are several differences between the two periods. Today women are more empowered. Regarding sexual behaviors, reproductive clinics have provided girls with options that did not exist in the 1980s. For instance, abortion has been legalized, and Planned Parenthood facilities are widely spread. Similarly, the society is receptive to sexual identities such as lesbianism and gays. Aside from that, the participation of women in sports has increased. In fact, some womenfolk are making careers in this field. Games that were played solely by men are now accessible to females. Examples of such activities include boxing and rugby.

Therefore, it can be concluded that attitudes and standards towards women have changed significantly. However, there is room for improvement. Aside from that, I am happy that I was growing up in the current century because it offers better opportunities for females compared to the 1980s.

References

Kachel, S., Steffens, M., & Niedlich, C. (2016). Traditional Masculinity and Femininity: Validation of a New Scale Assessing Gender Roles. Frontiers in Psychology, 7. http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00956

Lefkowitz, E., Shearer, C., Gillen, M., & Espinosa-Hernandez, G. (2014). How Gendered Attitudes Relate to Womens and Mens Sexual Behaviors and Beliefs. Sexuality & Culture, 18(4), 833-846. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12119-014-9225-6

Senne, J. (2016). Examination of Gender Equity and Female Participation in Sport. The Sport Journal. Retrieved 7 March 2017, from http://thesportjournal.org/article/examination-of-gender-equity-and-female-participation-in-sport/