Exploring sporting Stereotypes – Teacher Notes Resource 23
Gender: (the following table would be the most likely outcome – but it would be interesting to
discuss any variations or disagreements among pupils.)
Male
Football
Cricket
Rugby League
Golf
Boxing
Basketball
Ice Hockey
Female
Cheerleading
Netball
Hockey
Gymnastics
Horse riding
Ice dance
Ballet
Neutral
? Hockey
Tennis
?horse riding
Athletics
Swimming
Gym
What made you think they were female, male or neutral sports?
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Whether or not more men or women play the sports
It’s how sport is offered in school
You never see girls play rugby / ice hockey or basketball on TV
You never see boys doing cheerleading or playing netball
It’s just how it is boys play some sports girls play others
Girls can’t / shouldn’t play some of the sport because its dangerous
Girls are not strong enough / competitive enough
Boys don’t want to play `girls’ sports as they are too soft or girlie
Its genetics boys play some sport and girls play others
It’s not right
It’s in the rules.
Do male and female sports have equal status?
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No - only 3% of media coverage of sports focuses on women’s sports
If you look at how women sports people are covered in the media it focuses on how
they look – are they attractive and what are they wearing i.e. Maria Sharipova
(tennis) if they don’t conform to gender stereotypes around being pretty or attractive
i.e. Fatima Whitbread (Javelin) when she was in I’m a celebrity – then media ridiculed
her physique in a way they would not do about men
Women are far less likely to be paid professionals (no paid professional women
footballers in UK female footballers and basketball players have to go to America to
be professionals
Individual women and womne’ teams far less likely to receive high profile
sponsorship
Less money both in prize money for tournaments (Wimbledon now have equal prize
money for men and women’s singles champions.)
What are the possible consequences of being labelled male or female sports?
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Limiting opportunities for girls and boys to try out a range of different sports
women less likely to be able to consider a professional sports career
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Young people who don’t conform to gender norms around sport participation may be
subject to bullying, negative assumptions and stereotypes and potentially a loss of
confidence and self esteem
Poorer experience of sports
Increase drop out from sport
Financial implications as it reduces the potential market, talent pool and revenue
potential by 50%
Sexual Orientation
What would you think of boys that played sports such as netball or cheerleading?
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Great why shouldn’t he play those sports
Wouldn’t bother me I don’t care what sports people play
It’s a bit of a strange choice of sport
Surprised
Admire them for having the confidence to be different
Soft
Laugh it’s a ridiculous idea
Pathetic it’s not a proper sport for a boy
Stupid – why would anyone want to make an idiot of themselves
Embarrassing
Must be gay
Asking to be taken the piss out of.
What would you think of girls who play Rugby League or boxing?
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Great – why shouldn’t she play
Wouldn’t bother me I don’t care what sports people play
Admire her for having the confidence to be different
Girls can’t play those sport it’s a mans game
She’ll get hurt
She must be stupid / crazy
Its just not right
Laugh – girls can’t play Rugby League or box
Its unfeminine – she won’t get a boyfriend
Scared of her she must be really tough and aggressive
Must be a lesbian.
What are the potential consequences of these stereotypes?
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Limit peoples opportunities
Bullying because they are confounding gender norms
Homophobic comments or reactions
Being isolated because they are different
Pressure to conform and give up those sports
Be more determined to succeed in face of such negative stereotypes
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Proud to be different and to follow what they want to do and not succumb to peer
pressure.
Race (these would be the most likely outcome but it would be interesting to discuss
variations)
Black
Football
Rugby League
Boxing
Basketball
Athletics
Gym
Asian
Cricket
Boxing
Hockey
Gym
White
Cheerleading
Netball
Football
Rugby League
Golf
Hockey
Cricket
Tennis
Gymnastics
Horse riding
Swimming
Athletics
Gym
Ice Skating
Ballet
Ice hockey
Why do you think that people from different races are associated with different
sports?
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Genetic – some people are built for some sports
Everyone knows that. white men can’t jump, black men can’t swim and Asians only
play cricket
Look at who is playing that just shows how it must be true – only see black African
Caribbean men in 100 metres final and never see a black swimmer in the Olympics
(Important to challenge the view that genetics based on racial characteristics
provides an explanation as to marked differences in achievement in sport among
racial groups as it is both racist, simplistic and reductionist – other factors play an
important role in the sport an individual chooses
It’s the sports people grow up watching and playing
Part of your culture –playing or watching certain sports and not others
Assume won’t be good enough – if you are white why would you think you could win
100 metres
Lack of opportunity – that sport is not offered in your area/ community
Financial statistically more likely to be economically deprived if come from a BME
background and so sports that require a significant financial outlay to complete i.e.
sailing less likely among BME communities
What are the potential consequences of this?
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Limit opportunities to try out a range of sports
Directed by others to sports that are seen as `appropriate’ for your race
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If you want to succeed at a sport it is more likely to choose one that you think you will
be good at and the stereotypes and role models will contribute to narrowing choices
Racial stereotypes are assumed to be based on fact i.e. black athletes have a higher
% of fast twitch muscles and can’t swim because of bone density whereas much of
this research is based on racist assumptions and research and the reasons why
someone chooses or rejects a sport are much more likely to be as a result of cultural,
environmental or social reasons i.e. black child will grow up seeing black athletes
succeeding at certain sports such as 100 metres and so creating visible role models
to aspire towards. Parents family and schools then perpetuate this stereotype by
directing the child towards specific sports and encouraging the development of skills
that will help them achieve success in this sport.
Example – there was a Rugby League club with one black player and he, his team
mates and the coach all said he was the fastest runner and as such he was put on
the wing. Another coach came and undertook a skills test which included a bleep test
– at the end of the test the coach revealed that one of the white players was the
fastest runner. The result came as a shock to everyone but as a result of an objective
skills test the players were given opportunities to try different roles and position
based on their actual skills rather than assumptions based on racial stereotypes in
sport.
Lack of confidence to try sports not generally associated with your race
Fear of ridicule and bullying if you don’t fit in and conform to stereotypes
Fail to spot talent as focused on assumptions as to who will be better at certain sports rather
than being able to objectively analyse skills and performance.