Prospects for Change in a New Millennium: Gender Beliefs of Young Girls in Sport and Physical Activity

Abstract

Given the changing roles of women and the increasing involvement of girls and women in sport and physical activity during the last quarter of the 20th century, traditional gender belief systems about women’s assumed physical weakness and incompetence have been challenged. Belief systems are internalized at a young age and influence future choices and behavior. Therefore, the current study was an exploration of the perceptions and attitudes of young girls at the end of the 20th century. This examination is an attempt to provide an indication of the prospects for greater involvement of girls and women in sport and physical activity in the new millennium. Forty-six fourth and fifth grade girls were interviewed to explore perceptions and attitudes related to sport and physical activity. In particular, we examined (a) perceptions of the capabilities of boys and girls, (b) interactions with boys in sport and physical activity, and (c) internalized messages about sport and physical activity. Participants generally (a) perceived boys as possessing superior sport skills and physical attributes, (b) felt girls and boys played differently, (c) believed that boys held negative views of the physical ability of girls, (d) associated an athlete with being male, and (e) internalized negative societal messages about girls in sport. Despite the optimism surrounding girls’ and women’s increased participation, the attitudes and perceptions of the respondents suggested that many traditional beliefs about sport and physical activity remain.

Perspectives of Women College Athletes on Sport and Gender

“…A number of studies that built upon Metheny's (1965) original framework have, however, determined that some sports are more acceptable for women (Colley et al 1987;Koivula 1995Koivula , 2001McCallister et al 2003;Snyder and Spreitzer 1983). Snyder and Spreitzer (1983) surveyed adults to identify their perceptions of appropriateness concerning women's sport participation.…”

“…They reported that an overwhelming number of girls had heard the phrase and the overall consensus was that the phrase was most often directed toward boys and was meant to be a "put down." Additionally, most girls assumed that the comment "throwing like a boy" directed toward girls was a compliment (McCallister et al 2003).…”

“…In a more recent study seeking to identify perceptions of female and male athletes, McCallister et al (2003) interviewed girls in elementary school and asked about perceived capabilities of boys and girls. Boys were commonly perceived as being tough, while girls were more often seen as fragile.…”

Behind the stripes: female football officials' experiences

“…McCallister, Blinde, and Phillips (2003) stated that further liberation for women in sport will only occur with freer access to move in between different activities without regard to gender.…”

Empowering Girls Through Sport? Sports Advice Books for Young Female Readers

“…Despite this, they remain outsiders in sporting cultures, receiving fewer opportunities to play and less funding and institutional support than boys (Women's Sports Foundation, 2015, p. 9;Cooky, 2009). Both girls and boys continue to see sport as a male realm (McCallister et al, 2003), while many girls continue to drop out of sports during adolescence (Women's Sports Foundation, 2015, p. 7, 2011, a fact that sports sociologist Mary Jo Kane attributes to cultural messages, such as those found in children's and YA sports books (1998, p. 234).…”