Challenging gender stereotypes in sport
Every time I put my running shoes on and go out for a run and each time I take part in a race be it a 5k, 10k, half marathon or marathon, I feel like I'm doing my bit to encourage other women and girls to take up running. On 3rd October I will be running the Virgin London Marathon and will be cheering every women and girl who is taking part.
When This Girl Campaign first came onto our screens in 2015, as a regular runner I could personally see the impact it had on getting more women and girls into running when I went out for a run. There were more female runners and joggers where I lived.
In its first year, 2.8 million 14-40 year old women say they had done some or more activity as a result of This Girl Can campaign. Yet despite the inspiration this campaign has given to many women across the country, real women taking part in sport is not reflected as much in the media. According to a study from Synergy’s parent group Engine, 76% of women don’t believe advertisers are representative of modern women, with even less agreeing that sports brands were doing a good job of representing them at 44%.
Added to this is the countless number of so called ‘clean eaters’ who project unhealthy body images on social media and advocate rigid diets that rule out whole food groups. It's no wonder there is pressure on women to look a certain way and dress when taking part in sport that can be intimidating. However there are some well known brands on TV who promote healthy images of women of all sizes, shapes and ethnicities like the Dove campaign and some clothes brands are using women models of all shapes, sizes and ethnicities. Yet when it comes to sport it feels as though this is missing. According to Sport England the gender gap in terms of sport participation is coming down, but there is still “a long way to go”.
It will take more than one government initiative to effect real change and encourage more women and girls to take up a sport and as This Girl Can recently launched its second campaign, Me Again celebrating all the ways women have stayed healthy during the pandemic. Initiatives like this and all the major sports brands need to work together more to make long lasting change.
But it is also the many inspiring female fitness instructors and coaches across the country in cities, towns and village halls who every day encourage, motivate and inspire women to try different sports that are a kick or punch right in the stereotypes that help towards achieving the campaign's vision that need highlighting.
