Introduction
Despite decades of advocacy for equality and eradication of discrimination based on gender, race, or ethnicity, bias persists in all fields. Regardless of policies and laws enacted to protect the interests of all players, sport continues to be perceived as a male-dominated field. Such a situation significantly diminishes women’s opportunities in positions of power and sports engagement. Thus, considering the strong presence of racial and gender prejudice in the field of sports, actions must be taken, such as more emphasis on educational practices for students.
Issue of Gender Equity in Sport
The first article worthy of analysis is the 2016 work by Senne, published in The Sport Journal and focused on issues surrounding sports and equal gender opportunities. Among these are the development of gender equity in sports and Title IX, equality in sports administration, and challenges related to gender equality in athletics and coed sports (Senne, 2016). The goal of the article is to examine the background of the debate over gender equality in sports, the steps that have been taken to ensure that female participants have equal chances, the problems that they currently face as well as the findings and suggestions for future studies in this area (Senne, 2016).
Senne begins the work by analyzing the history of gender inequity in sports and the primary laws connected to the matter. The national government initially passed Title IX to guarantee equal educational possibilities for men and women (Senne, 2016). Although Title IX contributed significantly to expanding the number of female athletes, stereotypes and scrutiny remain due to social norms that view women as weak, helpless, and submissive (Senne, 2016). As a result, the issue of gender equity persists and requires solutions.
The article written by Senne offers several findings concerning the issue of gender equity. According to Senne (2016), while Title IX has increased the chances for women in sports, it has not accomplished much to change the stigma associated with female athletes. Additionally, it has not achieved much to address issues, including women’s demands in a dominant, masculinized sports organization or equitable possibilities in sports management (Senne, 2016).
Women are generally given equal opportunities, but despite this, they remain more unlikely to engage in sports or receive the same opportunities in sports administration due to discrimination based on gender and prejudice (Senne, 2016). As a result, it is essential to eradicate the preconceptions that women are not comparable to men in athletic activities and sports leadership.
The impact of Senne’s work is immense, and the author’s way of delivering information is effective for several reasons. First, Senne uses simple language and applies both qualitative and quantitative information. The writer begins the work by describing the issue and giving insights into its history. To guarantee that colleges at higher education establishments that accepted federal funds offered equal opportunity for male and female students, the U.S. Congress passed Title IX of the Omnibus Education Act in 1972 (Senne, 2016).
Then, with the help of statistics, the author gives their work more credibility and reliability. According to Senne (2016), in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), female participants retain only 33% of the executive management roles. Therefore, the author sets the tone and approaches to information delivery from the beginning.
It also adds credibility and reliability to the work because it relies on other peer-reviewed articles and research works. The author refers to another study when discussing affirmative action laws and how they are applied in sporting groups. In the study, male executives of athletic organizations highlighted the necessity of having women on boards of directors. Still, they did not express support for any modifications to the policy (Senne, 2016).
Additionally, direct quotes were incorporated into the work to offer a valid representation of the relevant laws. Title IX was used along with its description that no person should be refused the advantages of or be confronted with prejudice under any educational initiative or program obtaining government funding (Senne, 2016). Thus, the credibility and reliability of the content in the article are exceptional.
An additional element that makes the article effective is the organization of content. As mentioned above, the author began their work by describing the issue and its history. The writer then gradually moves toward listing other issues women face in sports. First, in athletic organizations, male dominance is a guiding philosophy that prevents women from holding positions of power (Senne, 2016). Men continue to have most athletic director roles at the highest echelons of college athletics and are more likely to achieve organizational success (Senne, 2016). Second, the effect of power is another issue impacting equality for women in sports governance (Senne, 2016). Therefore, the information in the article is clear and logically organized, with relevant headlines.
However, besides listing the main problems in the field, the author offers a solution, which adds a sense of completeness to the paper. An analysis of the effects of the coed sport of quidditch revealed that coed sports can be used to influence gender perceptions through interaction with people of a different gender (Senne, 2016). This coed sport’s degree of parity in involvement enabled the male counterpart to witness that the female could handle the requirements of the activity, which altered the opinion of the majority of the male participants (Senne, 2016). As a result, the solution to the issue is an optimal way to conclude the work.
Issue of Race in Sport
Another article that should consider the issue of race in sports is the 2018 article by Stowe and Lange, published in The International Journal of Sport and Society. This study looks into how sports management undergraduate students—specifically, those who want to work in the sports industry—perceive race, ethnicity, and gender dynamics in the sector (Stowe & Lange, 2018). The main argument of the work is that in sports management programs and the sports business, notably in the sports media, women and members of racial and ethnic minorities have a low representation among instructors and students (Stowe & Lange, 2018).
Despite the paucity of research, the information that is currently available suggests that minorities, particularly African Americans, do not play significant roles in the administration structures of sports (Stowe & Lange, 2018). Therefore, through their work, Stowe and Lange aim to fill the gap in the low representation of minority populations in the sports field by surveying two groups of students on their experiences.
The article by Stowe and Lange can be considered credible and reliable for several reasons. First, the authors rely on externally retrieved information and statistics. For example, at the beginning, writers introduce the issue, offering a literature review on discrimination in sports. Stowe and Lange use studies such as the 2012 article by Cunningham. Using the findings of Cunningham, the authors emphasize that people tend to connect white people with higher-level jobs and African Americans with more ancillary leadership responsibilities (Stowe & Lange, 2018).
Moreover, it is highlighted that particular views are founded on historical precedence of who has been seen in certain positions and who is seen as best capable of managing specific situations (Stowe & Lange, 2018). As a result, leadership classification influences public opinions of who is qualified for and ineligible for specific athletic administration roles, ultimately promoting occupational discrimination (Stowe & Lange, 2018). Therefore, instead of relying on their personal subjective data and perceptions, the authors use other resources to stress the underlying factors of discrimination and its widespread nature.
The chosen sample is another factor that makes the article reliable and its findings valid. Based on Stowe and Lange’s discussion, two institutions were chosen for their study: private institutions, HBCUs, and PWI (Stowe & Lange, 2018). The poll was completed by 105 students, including 60 HBCU students and 45 PWI students (Stowe & Lange, 2018). As a result, diversity in the sample, including gender, race, ethnicity, and school, makes the study findings more generalizable and reliable.
Furthermore, the article’s findings are clear and rely on the survey’s retrieved data. Stowe and Lange found that, depending on the ethnic and racial background of the students, the institution they attend (HBCU or PWI) may impact how they perceive discrimination or categorizing (Stowe & Lange, 2018). Regarding discriminatory ratings, there were no gender differences or interactions, although there were significant variations between institutions (Stowe & Lange, 2018).
There were no gender disparities when examining views on bias and comparing institutions, but there were notable variations by ethnicity and racial background between institutions (Stowe & Lange, 2018). Individuals at the HBCU felt prejudice was more prevalent than those at the PWI (Stowe & Lange, 2018). Consequently, the data analysis strategy, primarily variance calculation, was crucial to determining the issue of discrimination at both institutions.
Finally, what completes the work is its recommendation to solve the issue. The researchers propose that more enhanced education for students be provided through group discussions and assignments highlighting discrimination in the sports business and depicting problems with privilege and authority (Stowe & Lange, 2018). Through these encounters, students can learn how to cope with prejudice and be ready to do so once employed in the professional world (Stowe & Lange, 2018).
Undergraduate sports management classes, advanced degrees, the media, professional meetings, and research are all places where education and training may inform students about the difficulties women and people of color face in the sports sector (Stowe & Lange, 2018). Therefore, the authors not only offer perspectives that can be helpful but use their findings to make assumptions as to what approaches can be helpful. It is concluded that to overcome the difficulties and obstacles regarding discrimination and make the sports industry more accessible, further studies are required to focus on specific facets of the sector. Overall, clarity of information, broad and diverse sample, integration of additional studies, and recommendations make the work reliable and valid.
Conclusion
In summary, actions must be taken, such as placing a greater emphasis on educational procedures for students in light of the pervasiveness of racial and gender bias in the world of sports. Senne’s article concerns issues related to sports and equal gender chances. Senne uses straightforward language, other research, and content that is organized clearly and direct quotes, which makes the information credible. The article by Stowe and Lange relies on recommendations and students’ first-hand experiences, which are introduced through the broad and diverse sample and research to corroborate statements.
References
Senne, J. A. (2016). Examination of gender equity and female participation in sport. The Sport Journal, 19, 1-9.
Stowe, R. W., & Lange, E. (2018). Students’ perception of the role of race, ethnicity, and gender on opportunities in sport management. The International Journal of Sport and Society, 9(4), 31-43. Web.
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