Reading Between the Lines: Gender Stereotypes in Children’s Sport-Based Books

Abstract

A child’s first contact with media and culture typically comes from books they are exposed to in the home and at school. The narratives presented contribute to the early reinforcement of gender roles and norms and can greatly influence the way that young girls perceive and experience sport. The purpose of this study was to explore the narratives within sport-based books geared toward a young female audience to determine the extent to which they promote the engagement of girls in sport. A pragmatic literature search was conducted to obtain books that met our inclusion criteria. Books (n = 28) were analyzed based on the age of their intended audience (aged 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12 years) using thematic narrative analysis. Although the authors promoted the engagement of girls in sport, underlying gender stereotypes were nevertheless salient. Across the books, themes involved the emphasis of “feminine” sports as a context for diversity and learning, the need to understand development as a process, the importance of relationships, and implications pertaining to perceptions of capability as female athletes. Most importantly, the application of a critical feminist lens enabled us to identify an underlying theme—the reinforcement of gender stereotypes—that permeated the storylines and served to undermine the potential adaptive messaging intended by authors. These findings suggest the need for greater attention toward the complexity of female sport and a cultural shift in thinking toward gender equity rather than simply increasing sport access for female participants.

Kinesiology, Physical Activity, Physical Education, and Sports through an Equity/Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Lens: A Scoping Review

“…Lastly, it was said that the acknowledgement of the presence and prevalence of homophobia in football is a more recent phenomenon [220]. An EDI study result highlighted that female representation and recognition in sports have yet to catch up to that of their male counterparts [221]. Furthermore, there is limited coverage that is specific to women's sports; when women are presented as a topic, they are faced with arbitrary issues, such as femininity and sexuality [221].…”

“…An EDI study result highlighted that female representation and recognition in sports have yet to catch up to that of their male counterparts [221]. Furthermore, there is limited coverage that is specific to women's sports; when women are presented as a topic, they are faced with arbitrary issues, such as femininity and sexuality [221]. Specific to ethnic groups, a EDI study result highlighted that, even though many professional athletes are people of color, those who want to be employed as coaches and managers are still facing discrimination within sport [220].…”