The Despite the Positive Rhetoric About Women’s Sports, Female Athletes Face a Culture of Sexual Harassment article by Leslie Heywood presents rather controversial topic of women’s sports. It goes without saying that sports are beneficial for girls and women to improve their bodies and appearances. Moreover, sports promote such significant qualities as cooperation and self-esteem affecting the very way the women live. In this connection, the participation of women in sports increased considerably within the recent decades. At that, the Title IX of the Education Amendments declares prohibition against women discrimination in sports. However, one might note the decreased respect to female athletes.
In her article, Heywood provides readers with various vivid examples taken from real situations. The author points out that coaches tend to treat women athletes disrespectfully in relation to their weight or romantic relationships. In particular, they criticize what sportswomen eat or wear and how they behave. Claiming that women are more “coachable”, coaches create hostile atmosphere causing stress and wish to stop training in athletes (Heywood par. 10). At that, the majority of cases of sexual harassment remain unreported as female athletes are afraid to speak out under the fear of exclusion from sports. From these observations, it becomes evident that the situation needs an immediate decision to be implemented to improve the conditions of women. The accepted standard against sexual harassment in sports focuses on a range of preventive measures. Among them, one might note the creation of Harassment and Abuse in Sport Collective, special training for coaches and athletes involving case studies of sexual harassment, and parents’ engagement who are to control relationships between their children and coaches (Heywood par. 12). It seems that the above criteria are quite adequate and useful in the prevention of women unfair treatment. However, the implementation of additional decisions might be even more effective. For example, updated regulations or laws related to the topic might be beneficial to decrease current sexual harassment rates in female athletes.
The first reason in support of the mentioned judgment is the fact that these preventative measures are aimed at the enhanced conditions for female athletes (Heywood par. 14). The second reason refers to the increased awareness of the problem from different perspectives (Staurowsky 172). Plenty of organizations beginning from high school to departments of youth leagues would initiate their own codes of ethics promoting an appropriate environment for women athletes. In turn, parents and students would seek for the colleges that ensure educational programs and training associated with safe sports regarding coach-athlete relationships. Finally, the third reason in support of the justification is the increased trust of women for sports that is expressed in less anxiety and fear to report sexual harassment incidents (Staurowsky 173). This outcome can significantly decrease the acute character of the situation.
In spite of the various justification reasons that were listed above, it is essential to point out that there is an opposing position. It suggests that the proposed criteria are insufficient to provide female athletes with the safe environment. According to some experts, the inappropriateness of these measures is directly related to the very nature of sports. Hardman and Jones state that “oftentimes athletes are scantily clad and situations where the coach is required to physically manipulate body positions are not rare” (31). This means that sometimes it is quite difficult to identify the incident of sexual harassment. At the same time, the first reason indicating that these measures are not good is that the education is provided primarily by affirmative-action offices that are not familiar with specifics of the situation in contrast to athletics departments (Heywood par. 15). Therefore, the Women’s Sports Foundation strives to promote the creation and implementation of the department-based programs. Likewise in any sphere associated with human contacts, female sports require some degree of the personal interaction. In particular, women athletes are more likely to share their concerns about sexual harassment to their departments rather than to affirmative-action offices.
Another reason proving the insufficient elaboration of the decision is the fact that, as a rule, athletes strive to win at all costs considering the proposed education as a distracting factor (Hardman and Jones 35). In addition, coaches also tend to perceive educational programs without proper attention. Hardman and Jones emphasize that it is of great importance to speak with female athletes to improve their under-determination (32). Undoubtedly, it is difficult to convince both coaches and athletes in the importance of the education. The challenge is complicated by the fact that female athletes tend to associate their winning potential with the coaches’ approval. In other words, even in the case of sexual harassment, some sportswomen would continue their performance without reporting the incident.
In conclusion, it should be stressed that the issue of women’s sports and sexual harassment is not rare. Therefore, several organizations initiate measures to prevent such incidents. On the one hand, they are regarded as the most appropriate solution including special educational programs, parents’ engagement, and the establishment of organizations that are to control the situation. On the other hand, the decisions listed above are not justifiable due to insufficient awareness of both female athletes and coaches.
Works Cited
Hardman, Alun, and Carwyn Jones. The Ethics of Sports Coaching. Abingdon: Routledge, 2011. Print.
Heywood, Leslie. “Despite the Positive Rhetoric About Women’s Sports, Female Athletes Face a Culture of Sexual Harassment.” The Chronicle of Higher Education. N.p., 1999. Web.
Staurowsky, Ellen J. Women and Sport: From Liberation to Celebration. Champaign: Human Kinetics, 2016. Print.