Women, all throughout history have a been fighting for equality in every field. This includes sports. Many of us love sports. So, with all the attention on women’s leadership and gender equality, we are highlighting the positive changes in a male-dominated industry. And even if you are not a sports fan or an athlete, these changes should inspire you to make a difference yourself in your field of interest.
The U.S. Open will no longer penalize women for maternity leave.
The U.S. Open made a major change to how it seeds female players for upcoming tennis tournaments. They have decided to no longer penalize female players who return to the sport after having children. It’s a breakthrough and major win for women in tennis—and it comes after backlash surrounding Serena Williams’ huge drop in ranking after returning to the sport from maternity leave.
Media is changing perceptions of women in sport with the images that we see
Media plays a key role in shaping participation in sport. Through media, we are seeing more women play and more women win. By seeing more women in the news and media we can shape how men perceive women, as well as how, women perceive themselves and their capabilities. More activewear brands and media outlets are including women in their campaigns to show the gender equality in sports. In a male-dominated industry, this is crucial to see a change.
More women than ever before are playing competitively
Last year, a record 1.27m women were playing football at professional and semi-professional level throughout Europe. Germany has the most women on its books, with 209,713 registered at youth and senior level, while in the last five years, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Portugal have seen the greatest growth in female player registration. More sports channels are airing female matches than ever before and finally, the female only-teams are getting the recognition and airtime they deserve.
To learn more about GLAMOUR Women of the Year, click here!
