Research Proposal on "Women in Sports"
Research Proposal 6 pages (2022 words) Sources: 5 Style: APA
[EXCERPT] . . . .
women in sports, how it is changing, and how women in sports have impacted our lives and society. Women have participated in sports for centuries, and yet, sports have historically featured men, especially in more modern professional sports settings. While women have made great strides into many professional and exhibition sports, they are still largely absent from the big professional sports franchises, such as Major League Baseball and Football. Until women gain true equality in all sports, women in sports will continue to be unequal with the male-based and biased world of professional sports.Historically, sports have always been a part of life, even back to ancient times. The Greeks invented the Olympics before Christ was born, and even then, sports were male-dominated. Women were banned from competing in the Olympics, and when the modern Olympics made their appearance in 1896, women were again banned from the competitions. It was not until 1900 that women competed in the Olympics, and then they only competed in three events: tennis, croquet, and golf (Editors, 2008). Throughout the 20th century, women made great strides in sports. Professional soccer, basketball, and football leagues have sprung up for women, and women are some of the most well-known and respected tennis, track and field, and gymnastics stars in the world. Women dominate some sports, but they still do not receive the same pay and attention as professional male athletes, and this continues even today, when most people consider themselves open and even supportive of women's sports.
In the beginning, women were often onlookers and spectators in sports, rather than active participants. In addition, there wer
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Women perpetuate this societal norm by not challenging it, and by learning this gender norm of women raising children and not participating in sports from a variety of sources. One researcher notes, "We learned... that batting, catching, throwing, and jumping are not neutral, human activities, but somehow more naturally a male domain. Insidiously, our culture's reverence for men's professional sports and its silence about women's athletic accomplishments shaped, defined, and limited how we felt about ourselves as women and men" (Carty, 2005, p. 132). Schools, families, and even the media perpetuate this norm in a variety of ways. Schools support male athletics, such as football and baseball, far more extensively than any female athletic programs, and females are traditionally banned from sports like baseball and football. Even in track, they compete against other women, rather than men. The media perpetuates it, as well, by basing most coverage and commentary on men's sports, even in the Olympic Games, where women compete in a wide variety of events today.
Even families themselves help perpetuate this learned view of women's roles. The course textbook notes, "As development continues, girls are often given positive rewards for being 'Mommy's helper' and interacting with their mothers, and they learnt to see mothers as a role model for femininity" (Woods, 2009, p. 164). Fathers and mothers, by embracing traditional roles, pass them on to their children, and this includes their ideas about women in sports, and sports in general.
There have been gradual changes in how society views women in sports, and it has impacted society in many areas. It is much more accepted for young girls and young women to participate in certain sports, such as figure skating, gymnastics, swimming, soccer, and such, and more young women are actively participating in these types of sports than ever before. The Title IX Act, first enacted in 1972 by then President Richard Nixon, helped empower generations of female athletes and ensure funding for female athletic programs. One publication notes, "Since it was enacted, Title IX has allowed for a record number of female participants in various sports, provided women athletes with societal acceptance, and created opportunities for greater prize money in sports such as tennis and golf" (Author not Available, 2006, p 83). This act helps thousands of female athletes attend college on athletic scholarships, in addition, as it provides funding for female athletics when many schools might ignore the female athletics program. This indicates that gradually, at least some of this gender norm is changing, and that more women in athletics are becoming acceptable and accepted by society.
While society may becoming more accepting of at least some forms of female sports, race and ethnicity still plays a major role in women in sports, as well. Many of the black female athletes that are so well-known today began their careers in the 1970s, when they faced the double problem of race and gender. Track and field star Jackie Joyner-Kersee says, "That was a big moment for me, because when I was growing up in the 1970s, women in sports weren't a celebrated thing" (Joyner-Kersee, 2008, 54). Many of the top male athletes in football and baseball are from different ethnic backgrounds, such as African-American, Hispanic, and Asian, and that is an accepted part of the sport. In women's athletics, many players are African-American, but there are still few other ethnic groups represented, which indicates just how far behind women sports is when compared to men's sports.
Much more important, however, are race and ethnic views on sports. For many ethnic athletes, both male and female, they may view athletics as their way out of their poor neighborhoods and to obtain a college education. They look up to ethnic superstars, both male and female, as role models, and they aspire to be like them someday. In this, they tend to be less dependent on traditional society's views of families and women, and so, in some ethnic communities, at least, it is more common to see women athletes competing, and becoming successful in their fields. The Williams sisters, professional tennis players, are a good example of this ethnic acceptance of women in sports. Their family supported them throughout their careers, and helped them get started playing tennis, which led them to fantastically successful careers.
Unfortunately, there are many stereotypes surrounding professional athletes, especially women. Because of the strict societal roles for women, revolving around home and family, a woman who chooses a career over family is often seen as "abnormal" or somehow less feminine than her counterparts are. This is especially true for female athletes, who are seen as somewhat more "masculine" than their counterparts, especially if they have physically large or striking physiques. The media stereotypes these women as somehow less attractive and compelling than non-athletes, and this helps perpetuate the idea of what is feminine and masculine in our society. A woman whose body is too "buff" or muscular is seen as masculine, as well. The family also helps define these roles, as the text notes. "Some parents actively discourage their children's interest in toys and games that are associated with the other sex. For instance, boys may be persuaded not to play house or cook, and girls may be dissuaded from engaging in sports that call for high levels of physical aggression" (Woods, 2009, p. 170). If the girls do engage in these aggressive sports, they will often be perceived as less feminine and more masculine than their counterparts. As the text notes, "Women athletes sometimes feel special pressure to look feminine. Women athletes in my classes tell me that, if they don't look ultra-feminine, others think they're lesbian" (Woods, 2009, p. 178-179). Thus, stereotyping still exists in women's sports, and women still have to face male-dominated attitudes even at the top of their fields.
Women in sports have impacted society in many ways. Some of the most famous female athletes have inspired others to become athletes, and the enactment of Title IX has brought an entire new generation of sports to women and to the country. So many young girls now play basketball and soccer when even 20 years ago that was nearly unheard of. Women are making strides in society, and as women in sports become… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "Women in Sports" Assignment:
Hello, My entire paper must be in APA format including the reference page, which should be labeled "Reference". The paper must have a header on the top right hand corner of each page and page number.Below are the exact specifications and examples of what needs to be in this paper. You will see that there are 4 points which should be addressed in the paper. You may feel free to use additional academic resources and web sources which need to be cited throughtout the paper. I inch magins are required, times new roman only, 12points.
Instruction for Sue Tribbett-Dix Term paper
The Final Project gives you the opportunity to take one "gender norm or expectation" and consider how it is learned, how it has changed (or is changing) over time, and how it has impacted some part of our lives and our society.
Here is an example for clarification: "We learn what is expected of us in the roles of mother and father from a variety of sources. We may learn by modeling our own parents, by watching fictional parents in the media, or by taking home economics classes in school. One of the lessons we have traditionally learned from such sources is that women should be the primary caretaker of children, while men should be the primary financial provider.
While you may or may not agree with such views, the fact is that this attitude has existed for quite some time. Have such views changed over time? Yes. Today, we now find many fathers who are actively involved in the day-to-day caretaking of their children, while many mothers are contributing as much or more to the family's financial security.
Childrearing and day-to-day child care can be a challenging subject for many couples. Torn between following more 'traditional' views of motherhood and fatherhood and the reality that most families depend on dual incomes, many couples work together to fully meet the needs of their children. As a result, there may be conflict between partners or both may realize the benefits of contributing equally to the family needs."
If you look at the above example, you will find four distinct areas that would then be discussed in your Final Project:
1. Mothers are expected to be the primary caretakers of children, while fathers are expected to be the primary financial providers for the family (this is the gender norm or expectation).
2. This gender norm may be learned from a variety of sources, such as family, schools and the media (this is how the gender norm is learned).
3. This gender norm has greatly impacted parenting in close relationships (this is how the gender norm has influenced our lives and/or society).
4. This gender norm has recently undergone change in our society, so that more men are actively involved and more women are contributing to the financial well-being of the family (this is how the gender norm has changed).
As you have explored the topics and issues in this course, the focus of your Final Project should have become clearer. This course has covered several gender norms, expectations and stereotypes that have greatly influenced our lives and our society. Other examples include gendered power dynamics in close relationships, gender in the workforce, same-sex relationships, gender in schools and gender in sports.
In your Final Project, you are expected to thoroughly discuss and support each of the four areas referenced above. You are expected to respond to each part in your own words and to make your own connections between the gender norm and how it is learned, how it has changed (or is changing), and how it impacts some aspect of our lives or society.
While you should respond in your own words, you are required to support your views with outside academic resources. You must use at least five academic resources, including the course text. The additional resources should be a combination of academic articles and websites related to your topic. You must cite your resources throughout your Final Project and provide a reference section, per APA format.
Your Final Project should be between 6 to 8 pages in length, double-spaced, one-inch margins, in Times New Roman 12 pt font.
This is the topic and outline I formulated which can be altered.
Women in Sports
The outline which I have formulated thus far is as follows:
I. Introduction to women in sports
A. Identify some historical background
B. Women*****s roles in the beginning
II. Communication
A. Race and Ethnicity
B. Stereotypes
C. Influences of men and masculinities on women
References, these should be in the correct APA reference format. You may surely use others. I need to show citations throughout the paper.
1. Title: The expanding role of women in sports.
Source:
New York Amsterdam News; 9/7/2006, Vol. 97 Issue 37, p46-46, 1/3p
2. Title: FIVE GAME-CHANGERS WOMEN'S SPORTS.
Source:
Coach & Athletic Director; Mar2006, Vol. 75 Issue 8, p83-84, 2p
3. TURNING POINT. By: Joyner-Kersee, Jackie, Good Housekeeping, 0017209X, Jul2008, Vol. 247, Issue 1
Database: Academic Search Premier
The text book for this class to be used in the references is:
4. Gendered Lives
Communicatio, Gender, and Culture eigth edition by Julia T. Woods publisher Lyn Uhl copyright 2009,2007 Wadsworth Cengage Learning Boston, MA
Reference #4 must be used as this is our class textbook.
If you need anything further please feel free to contact me at sue50dix@yahoo.com. I hope that I have done this for you correctly as this is my first time using this type of service.
Thank You So Much
How to Reference "Women in Sports" Research Proposal in a Bibliography
“Women in Sports.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2008, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/women-sports/6082742. Accessed 5 Oct 2024.
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