Women shouldn’t be pundits. That’s the verdict of a pretty nasty string of Tweets from football fans after an all-female panel of pundits covered Chelsea Women’s 1-0 victory against Manchester United in the FA Cup Final on Sunday. The knowledge, experience, and intellect of the pundits were called into question, with some fans demanding total separation between men's and women’s football. Although the final at Wembley on Sunday broke records for the highest attendance for a domestic match, it’s clear that misogyny and discrimination is still wildly pervasive within the sport. Women in football, whether that be players, coaches, officials or fans are consistently fighting a deeply ingrained culture of sexism. In this article, we will uncover the ugly underbelly of the beautiful game.
At its core, misogyny refers to the fundamental contempt,
belligerence and prejudice against women. Misogyny manifests in many ways
within football. Female players and officials continually face illicit and
sexist chants; take former Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro for example, who
received derogatory chants before leaving in 2015. Such chants perpetuate a
culture of humiliation and objectification towards women. Additionally, there’s
the common assumption that women are less knowledgeable, with the perception
that female officials are incapable of making informed decisions and female
fans having to prove their understanding of football before being taken
seriously by their male counterparts. This leads to women working within the
industry encountering unequal opportunities and female fans being treated
flippantly. Social media also contributes largely to the misogyny seen in
football, as online harassment and sexist abuse are commonplace, and widely
accepted and dismissed as ‘banter’. #HerGameToo is an initiative that brings
attention to sexist abuse in sports. In a recent survey, they found that 91% of respondents
have seen sexist abuse online from football fans.
Misogyny is rampant in the wider football community, but the
roots and causes are complex and can be attributed to various factors.
Traditional gender norms play a large part, as football is generally seen as a
‘man’s game’ and is an incredibly male-dominated industry, so it is not
surprising that women’s involvement is highly devalued. Historically, women
have been excluded from the sport, and its important to note the lasting
effects. Before 1921, women’s football was immensely popular, with one of the
most notable games being Dick Kerr’s Ladies’, a team of factory workers from
Preston, monumental victory of 4-0 against St Helens Ladies on 27th
December 1920. The game broke records with 53,000 spectators attending Goodison
Park to watch the match. However, in 1921, the FA voted to completely ban women
from playing league matches, stating that "The game of football is quite
unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged." For 50 years,
women were ostracized from league football, so as men’s football rocketed to
unimaginable heights, women have been left to catch up, without the same
enthusiasm or financial aid. Further, male-dominated structures like governing
bodies, clubs and fan communities reinforce misogyny by undermining and
under-representing female footballing professionals and fans alike, creating a
culture of hostility towards women. With media operating through a largely
male-gaze, objectification of women is common in football, as women are seen as
mere commodities. Such systemic dehumanisation of women has cultivated an
unwelcoming, and in some cases intimidating, environment for women.
The consequences of misogyny in football are profound.
Sexist vitriol discourages girls and women from participating in the sport and
impedes the progress that has been made in women’s football. Misogyny in
football has wider implications, as reinforcements of gender stereotypes and
other sexist rhetoric promote gender inequality in the wider society.
Discrimination tarnishes the reputation of the sport and creates an
overwhelmingly negative environment that alienates fans. Football is a very
powerful sport that prides itself on community, but that cannot be true if it actively
excludes half the population.
All things considered, it is abundantly clear that the fight
for equality and inclusivity is far from over. When former Arsenal captain Alex
Scott faced relentless sexist online abuse, she asserted that she would
continue her career as a football presenter, stating that if she were to back
down “then who wins?”. Gender is not a measurement of how much or how little
one knows about football, and the assumption that women are less talented, less
intelligent, or less passionate is downright insulting. If we continue to
advocate for women in football, we can create an environment that is safe and
inclusive, and build a culture that rightly lives up to its moniker of the
beautiful game.
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