Autumn Schmoel
Her Campus Bonding Coordinator
Gabby, Jackie, and Leah are all female athletes and students at Millersville University. Gabby and Jackie are both dancers and Leah is a swimmer. All three women agreed to a short written interview about what being a female athlete is like, as well as some challenges they have had to overcome.
Gabby has been a dancer for 18 years now. She feels that women face an unfair disadvantage in sports and that this pressure is even greater for women in dance. One key change in the sport that she would like to see is more body positivity. She states that “dance is known for promoting a specific body type” and that it can be hard to deal with that. “I think there is an incredibly negative connotation involving female athletes,” Gabby says. “We are not represented, discussed, or respected nearly as much as male athletes.”
She feels that even women-dominated sports that also include men, like dance, gymnastics, and cheer, are not given as much credit as male-dominated sports. She does emphasize, however, that people have been encouraging her overall as a female athlete who loves what she does. When asked what needs to change for women to have more opportunities for success in athletics, she highlights the need for more representation in sports news and marketing. She also feels that women athletes deserve more respect and salaries that are closer to those of their male counterparts.
Jackie has been dancing for 12 years. She says that she feels empowered as a female athlete and states that it has allowed her to “embrace [her] femininity (and masculinity).” Jackie feels that the criticism that dancers face forced her to work on her confidence. One big challenge she has dealt with is that many people do not believe that dance is a sport, and many see women’s sports as being less important than men’s. She disagrees on both parts. She states, “I have always been told that I am in a girly sport since [people] think the amount of strength and overall work is less than what is need[ed] in other sports.” She argues that not only is this untrue, but that dancers work much harder than many people think. She feels that women would be a lot more successful in athletics if they were given more opportunities to prove themselves capable.
Leah has been swimming from the time she was six years old. She got into the sport because her father was a swimmer and loved it. Now a junior, she feels that men and women are “treated as equals in [their] respective events” in swimming. She has always felt as though she belongs in her sport but recognizes that not all female athletes have been made to feel the same way. She says that some sports, like football and ice hockey, are seen as being only “for men,” and that these sports are typically more aggressive. She explains that some people feel that that is not “how women ‘should’ present themselves.”
In the same vein, she describes a time during high school that she felt female swimmers were treated unfairly. While men were allowed to stay in only their Speedos while counting laps for other swimmers during distance events, women were forced to cover up while out of the water. While leaning down to the pool to show swimmers what lap they were on, the women would get splashed on. After the meet, they would have to wear their wet clothes home, regardless of how uncomfortable it was.
Even though swimming is not associated with any one gender, Leah has also been told by non-swimmers that her sport is not a legitimate one. She says that, often, men who are not competitive swimmers feel that they would be better swimmers than females who swim competitively simply due to their physical size and differences in the perceived strength of women and men. She states that this is not as common in people who are more familiar with the sport. Leah feels that support for women in sports is increasing, but that women’s televised sports are not given as much attention by viewers or the media as they are for men’s sports. She emphasizes the impact of the media on the perceived legitimacy of sports, and that women’s sports need to be marketed more. She is glad for the actions taken to mitigate gender-based discrimination in collegiate sports. Leah hopes to see more funding and support for women’s sports moving forward.
Women have made great strides in sports over the last few decades. As the statements of these three female athletes at MU illustrate, there is still a lot of work to be done to increase support for women in sports, but there are also many great things happening in this area already. These women athletes are pursuing their passions, calling out injustices, becoming more empowered, and guiding the next generation to success. Their hard work and determination now are creating more future opportunities for women in sports.
A big thank you to Gabby, Jackie, and Leah for being willing to share your experiences as women athletes with others!
