By Jorge Velasquez Soriano
@redlineproject
AI disclosure: Notebook LM was used to generate the podcast and the FAQ for this story.
Over the years, women have made an impact in sports, as they continue to break barriers in every sport that has been male-dominated. Women often get criticized for their body build, advertisements, fame, and sports performance.
This essay will explore how women are persevering over these obstacles and creating a platform where anyone can play without being hesitant of their gender being an obstacle.
Women often get criticized for playing sports that are considered male dominated and get a lot of backlash and discrimination from participating in it. Meredith Wekesser, a UIC Clinical Assistant Professor in the Performance, Sport, and Exercise Psychology master’s concentration, has always been playing sports since she was a kid. She played sports like swimming, diving, cross country, track and field, volleyball and basketball.
Wekesser tore her rotator cuff in her college years. She explains that due to her injury “ I was introduced to sports psychology, I did not know what I wanted to do with it but I wanted to learn more..So, I got my masters in it.”
However, out of all of those sports she kept playing and mastering Swimming in college. During her years of being a swimmer for college, she experienced some disturbing comments that were being made, she explained that people have said “you have man shoulders” these types of comments are very offensive, especially if you are comparing a woman’s physical build to a male’s, proving the male dominance in this sport. She explains that “it is not a man’s shoulders.. It’s a woman shoulders that happened to be broad”
Katie Ledecky, a four-time Olympian could be considered one of the best swimmers of all-time. She has won nine Olympic gold medals in the 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024 Games, and is recognized as a world-record holder. She has broken the bar in achievements for women in sports. With all these great achievements, Ledecky has also faced much criticism and backlash.
Wekesser used Ledecky as an example of being discriminated against in her sport. NBC commentator and former Olympian Rowdy Gaines made a comment about Ledecky on her performance at the 2016 Olympic Games: “A lot of people think she swims like a man.” Again, this comment was made by a commentator, and the public heard this comment about Ledecky.
Comparing her to a male is not what you want to hear, especially if you are trying to break down barriers in sports. This brings me to the point that Women’s sports are not being covered enough in sports entertainment, they do not get the recognition that they deserve. Which is why, athletes like Ledecky, are always determined to get better and let her victories and medals speak for her.
Comments like these are what Wekesser sees in women and their bodies. She further explains that “the underlying piece.. Guys swim like this and girls are slower, it’s not that she is really fast but she just swims like a guy and that is why she is fast” It essentially has been normalized to always make comments like this about women in these sports, and personally it’s not necessary because a woman being compared to a man, proves why women are breaking barriers and how they are playing to the standard of a male.
We need to change the stigma of the comparison to male and normalize that women can also be great at sports, whether we like it or not. Masculinity keeps dominating to the point where many are not trying to hide it. However, over time women have been making changes to change that perspective.
Another player that started a drastic change in sports is Athena Gibson, who broke barriers as an African American playing tennis in 1950. She was the first black woman to win the French Championship and then the year after she made even more history by winning the Wimbledon and the U.S. nationals. During those times, women, especially people of color faced many challenges when it came to playing sports. In the 1950’s tennis was a male dominated sport but if you search up the phrase “is tennis a male dominated sport” the result will be no, women have taken over that sport. Women like Athena are examples on how women broke the male barrier and ended up taking over the sport.
Moreover, athletes are not the only ones who face barriers when it comes to gender. Coaches are also set to be discriminated against. People often think males are only capable of coaching athletes.
That is not entirely true. Karen Dixon, UIC’s associate athlete director for academic services for men’s and women’s basketball, has been involved in athletics for more than 30 years. Her current position is to make sure student-athletes are in good academic standing while they are playing sports at the college level. She said, “Entering this profession three decades ago, leadership roles in athletics were heavily male-dominated (and still are, to be fair). There were times when my qualifications were second-guessed, or I was expected to “prove myself” in ways that male colleagues didn’t have to.”
Her guidance to student-athletes has a huge impact on students to continue to play the sport that they like but also get the education they need. Years prior she was in charge of the women’s basketball, volleyball, women’s soccer, and golf programs. Her coaching/mentorship methods persuade women to continue to strive with their studies and continue to play their sport in hopes of playing at the professional level.
Coaching has been a topic where it has been male-dominated as well, not only are these issues occurring to the players that play in the field but also the leadership/coaching roles too. Over the years, many women have joined to coach players but faced many criticisms, just like Dixon did. She coaches and guides academically the men’s and women’s basketball at UIC.
One way that Dixon has overcome these obstacles is by “addressing those dynamics with professionalism and persistence, and I’ve also tried to create a more inclusive environment for the women coming up behind me.”
Dixon’s approach is seen across different platforms of sports and is a great way that women have persevered and came out on top.
Another example of women breaking barriers is Dr. Jen Welter, the first woman to coach a NFL team. Her role as an assistant linebackers coach with the Arizona Cardinals was great for all the women who want to become a coach for a high-level pro league like the NFL.
Coaching in male sports as a woman is very unlikely to happen in this period of time, but Welter’s determination to seek her passion to the higher leagues was accomplished when she was contracted by the Cardinals in 2015. Milestones like this in this period of time is what motivates women to keep pursuing their dreams in terms of coaching.
Women are currently breaking these barriers, but what is up next for the future generation. Girls’ sports have also gained a lot of popularity as they are expanding into major levels and to the point where many parents are investing in their child’s future when it comes to sports and their young age. Now we see many leagues that specialize in having accessibility of competitive play for the children and guiding them to keep playing that sport to a professional level.
Anthony Johnson coaches girls basketball at Rowe Elementary School, a middle school and Girls/Boys rugby at Pritzker College Prep. Additionally, this year he is coaching the girls basketball at Pritzker. After winning some championships as their coach and coach of the year for the Noble League, he sees a different aspect of coaching girls and boys.
“I would say coaching girls can be a little different from coaching the guys in some aspects,” he said. “The main difference is the emotional side. In my time as a coach, sometimes I feel the way you say things matter to the girls more than the boys. The girls show their emotions, and when you say something that hurts them, they want to talk about it. While with the boys, not so much because they do not want to show any signs of weakness.”
Emotional control plays a huge toll in sport and so does masculinity, as boys never tend to show emotions because they do not want to seem fragile to others around them, I can personally relate to this, I do carry this trait with me.
Johnson noticed this difference between both the girls and boys that he coaches. Along the same lines he explains that because of this trait, it is easier to coach the girls team since they are always open to learning new things and are open to criticism and room for improvement.
Similarly, his coaching strategy is not so different from one another, he expresses that in terms of coaching, “I do not really say anything different. I coach both my boys and girls teams the same. I try to coach them to be the best athlete that they can and show them that they can compete with anyone. I push all my athletes to be the best version of themselves. Regardless of gender you have to put in the work if you want to be successful in the sport.”
His effort to continue to coach students has become something that he is truly passionate about. As a former high school student, Johnson taught me so many things when it came to rugby, his style of coaching was like no other, he enforced a lot of discipline, teamwork, knowledge of the game, and training. During the games, whether we won or lost, there was always something that needed to improve on, he never let us as players feel cocky about wins, he always pushed us to always stay on edge and to never feel comfortable simply because we beat that team.
Fortunately, because of his strong determination to create a change where students can truly love this sport because of his coaching, “23 former athletes playing rugby in college. Out of the 23, there are 9 playing women’s college rugby, with 6 of them being starters for their respective team.” Johnson occasionally goes and supports his former student at their college and always gives criticism for better plays for the future. Even as a spectator, the coach never leaves within him and that truly shows his passion for coaching.
Coaching is a good way to motivate players to continue their passion for the sport. However, this can also be carried to school. Dixon teaches KN 110 online at UIC. This course teaches student athletes to be leaders in their community and other areas where they may be a part of. It teaches students to teach and share their personal values in life to others in order to create change or to motivate others. One of her main points that she teaches is “We discuss Title IX and how it has shaped opportunities, as well as the ongoing disparities — whether in funding, facilities, or visibility.
We encourage students to think critically about how gender influences not only their athletic experience but also their identity.” This class brings awareness towards sports not only within the athletes themselves but also other teammates. Teaching athletes about the changes that have happened in order to support and protect gender in sports is something that many do not know that this allowed women to play without being judged of their gender.
Women have made impactful accomplishments over the years, since 1950 they have made the change in sports that caused them to pave the way for the next generation to break even more barriers. Now, we have different sports that include women in it, we can see this expanding into high school sports. Rugby, which is a male-dominated sport, has made it for both male and female leagues, both of them are very competitive. There are more sports that involve women.
Women are creating history by gaining more momentum into playing and coaching in sports and although there are still many loopholes that they are facing, they are headed in the right direction.
This Serena Williams quote sums it up best in terms of women’s excelling in a male-dominated sports industry: “Overpower. Overtake. Overcome.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Sports Inequality and Women Breaking Barriers
Q: In what ways have women been breaking barriers and decreasing inequality in sports?
A: Women have made an impact in sports by continuously breaking barriers in previously male-dominated areas. They are creating a platform where individuals can play without their gender being an obstacle. Historically, women have faced criticism related to their body build, sports performance, fame, and advertisements, but they are persevering over these obstacles. Over time, women have been making changes to challenge the stigma of comparing women to men in athletics.
Q: What type of criticism have highly successful women athletes faced regarding their physical build or performance?
A: Even highly decorated athletes have faced disturbing comments.
Meredith Wekesser, a Clinical Assistant Professor in Performance, Sport, and Exercise Psychology, who was a college swimmer, experienced comments such as being told she had “man shoulders”. She clarifies that her shoulders are simply broad women’s shoulders.
Katie Ledecky, a four-time Olympian and world-record holder, has also faced criticism and backlash. An NBC commentator and former Olympian, Rowdy Gaines, commented on her 2016 Olympic performance by saying, “A lot of people think she swims like a man”.
The underlying piece of this criticism is the assumption that if a woman is very fast, “she just swims like a guy and that is why she is fast,” reinforcing the male dominance in the sport.
Q: Which early athlete is cited as breaking barriers in tennis, and what was the impact on the sport?
A: Althea Gibson started a drastic change in sports when she broke barriers as an African American playing tennis in the 1950s. She was the first Black woman to win the French Championship and went on to win Wimbledon and the U.S. nationals the year after. During those times, women, especially women of color, faced many challenges in sports. Women like Gibson are examples of how they broke the male barrier in tennis to the point that if you search whether tennis is a male-dominated sport today, the result is “no,” as women have taken over that sport.
Q: Do women only face barriers as players, or do they face challenges in leadership roles as well?
A: Athletes are not the only ones who face barriers related to gender; coaches and those in leadership roles are also subject to discrimination. Karen Dixon, UIC’s associate athlete director for academic services, noted that when she entered the profession three decades ago, leadership roles in athletics were heavily male-dominated, and she believes they still are. Dixon stated there were times when her qualifications were second-guessed, or she was expected to “prove myself” in ways that male colleagues did not have to.
Q: How are women persevering against obstacles in sports leadership and coaching?
A: Women are addressing these dynamics with professionalism and persistence and striving to create a more inclusive environment for the women following them, according to Karen Dixon.
A notable example is Dr. Jen Welter, who broke barriers as the first woman to coach an NFL team. She served as an assistant linebackers coach with the Arizona Cardinals in 2015. This milestone motivates women to keep pursuing their dreams in coaching, even in high-level professional leagues.
Q: What differences has one coach observed when coaching girls’ sports compared to boys’ sports?
A: Anthony Johnson, who coaches girls’ basketball and girls’/boys’ rugby, noted that coaching girls can be different from coaching guys in some aspects, primarily the emotional side. He observed that the way things are said matters more to the girls.
- Girls are more open to showing their emotions and want to discuss it if something said hurts them. They are generally open to learning new things and are open to criticism and room for improvement.
- Boys, conversely, tend not to show emotions because they do not want to seem fragile or show signs of weakness to others around them.
Despite these emotional differences, Johnson expresses that he coaches both his boys’ and girls’ teams the same, pushing all athletes to be the best version of themselves and emphasizing that success requires putting in the work, regardless of gender.
Q: What role does education play in bringing awareness to gender issues in sports?
A: Karen Dixon teaches an online course, KN 110, at UIC that teaches student-athletes to be leaders and create change. In this class, they discuss Title IX and how it has shaped opportunities. The course also addresses the ongoing disparities, such as those related to funding, facilities, or visibility. It encourages students to think critically about how gender influences both their athletic experience and their identity. Teaching athletes about these changes helps ensure they can play without being judged based on their gender.
Q: What quote summarizes the sentiment of women excelling in the sports industry?
A: Serena Williams’ quote sums up women excelling in a male-dominated sports industry: “Overpower. Overtake. Overcome.”.