One week ago, in the final of the 2011 Women’s World Cup, the proverbial unstoppable force and immovable object met on the pitch, with Japan capturing its first-ever title with its first-ever win over the United States.
Personally, I find the women’s game more enjoyable to watch – a more pure, natural and entertaining soccer product. It’s not about brute force, or who can flop and act better or pull the biggest trick – it’s more about teamwork, refined technical skill and love of the game. It’s hard to argue with the heart-stopping, last second heroics of the US Women’s National Team, not to mention the fact that the 2011 WWC final went the first 20+ minutes without a foul called.
Immediately following the match, analysis seemed to split into two distinct paths –
- pointing out the missed opportunities the United States had to score or hold the lead, including the missed penalty kicks that sealed the match for Japan
- praising the team’s effort and heart, fighting back against Brazil and France to even reach the final
Then, I came across the following …
this tweet –
@StaciNWilson RT @bobfordsports Equality test: if USMNT blew 2 leads, whiffed on PKs, they’d get ripped. Will WNT get equal treatment or hearts/flowers?
this post on Deadspin -
Sports Media Celebrate Equality by Accusing Hope Solo and the USWNT of Choking in World Cup Final
and this video clip – http://youtu.be/CBaSavEzbeE
I think analysts are missing the point when it comes to their ‘equality’ arguments, a point I believe the Deadspin post is lampooning to a degree.
[For what its worth, talk on the airwaves following the match did include questions of whether or not the USWNT ‘choked’ in the final, a charge that is decidedly not hearts/flowers.]
Men’s and women’s sports are inherently different – and not just in the Mars/Venus kind of different. I think attempts to compare them cannot accurately nor fairly be done.
There are larger, more societal issues in play when it comes to discussion of women’s sports – in large part because of the uphill struggle women’s sports have had in trying to gain acceptance and commercial popularity. In our society, women’s sports are arguably viewed as ‘second tier’ – even at times a ‘punchline’ as the Deadspin post mentions.
The important issue of equality should not be solely focused on whether or not sports media will criticize a women’s team or athlete as harshly as a men’s team or athlete they lose or play poorly – there are bigger issues to be focusing on:
- Equality in coverage – live coverage of matches, highlights on TV/SportsCenter, coverage in print media
- Equality in salaries/compensation – male athletes make decidedly more than their female counterparts
- Equality in sponsorship – corporate and national sponsors, local support
- Equality in facilities – cities and towns aren’t exactly stumbling over themselves to build new arena and venues to lure a WNBA, WPS, LFL or NPF team
- Equality in support – marketing and promotions, advertising
- Equality in recognition – no longer viewing the women’s teams as ‘second tier’ or a ‘punchline’
Until those benchmarks of equality are achieved, women’s teams will always be playing for something bigger, something greater:
- Playing to increase exposure and growth for the sport (both on the amateur/Olympic level and professional level)
- Playing to be taken seriously and considered deserving of respect
- Playing for the future of women’s sports as a whole
Because of the societal, environmental and economic inequality surrounding women’s sports, it is a perfectly valid story line to go with a ‘hearts/flowers’ narrative, regardless of the final score. For example – with a professional league, Women’s Professional Soccer, on life support, focusing on the attention garnered by the USWNT with their incredible World Cup run (including the epic match against Brazil in the quarterfinals) is a perfectly understandable story angle to pursue.
As a result of those societal, environmental and economic disparities, female athletes are there more for the love of the game – as opposed to being there for the lucrative contract or endorsement deals.
One cannot simply say the women’s team ‘choked’ and claim we are treating men’s and women’s sports equally. Also, praising a women’s team for their effort and heart, even in a loss, is not ‘coddling’ – nurturing, yes; coddling, no. Women’s sports are at a distinct disadvantage, facing an uphill struggle, playing on an uneven playing field. You don’t kick someone, or something, when they are down. Women’s sports still need to be built up and celebrated – nurtured – especially given their ‘second tier’ status in the sports landscape.
And that’s the main point I’m driving at, men’s and women’s sports are inherently different. Praising a women’s team for their heart and effort is not coddling, it is nurturing – something that is necessary in order to build up women’s sports in general to where they are on equal footing with their male counterparts.
Giving women’s teams the ‘hearts/flowers’ treatment may be considered a ‘double standard’ – but that is only a reflection of the double standard between men and women that exists in society in general. Show me where a female earns the same money and respect as her male counterpart – be it in the boardroom or ball field – then we can talk about equality.
Comments
EXACTLY!!!!!