Gender Inequality in Sports Reporting and Coverage

In this week’s article, "Gender in Sports Writing by the Print Media: An Exploratory Examination of Writers' Experiences and Attitudes," by Edward Kian, we study the nature of gender roles and influences in the world of sports and sports reporting. The main point that Kian attempts to convey is that women’s sports has a much lower level of regard than men’s and female sports reporters face a continuing uphill climb in their search for equality in the newsroom and elsewhere.

            Kian describes sports in our society as being a masculine hegemony. “In hegemonic masculine societies, masculinity is the standard from which everything else is measured, and masculine traits are the most desired and valued in society” (Connell, 1995). Kian states that numerous scholars contend that sports serves as a means of upholding this idealized, male dominated society by promoting certain physical aspects that traditionally have been the domain of the masculine.

            Sports reporting reflects this attitude, both in the representative numbers of male and female sports reporters- heavily in favor of the male, and in the sports that are covered by these reporters- also dominated by the males. In a study conducted of six sports reporters nationwide- varying heavily in experience, issues covered and of both genders, Kian reaches conclusions that help to uphold the gender-biased stereotypes that have long pervaded athletics and sports reporting: That society advocates for men to enter the realm of sports reporting, but not so for women; that women are treated as outsiders in the realm of sports reporting, even upon acceptance into the industry; and that, even upon entering the profession, female sports reporters attitude towards women’s sports seemed to reflect that of the overall society: they look upon it with indifference and disdain.

            Despite the advances in our society of gender equality (Title IX and other actions have made the USA one of the most progressive countries in terms of female athletic treatment), women’s sports seem to lag far behind men’s sports in terms of viewership, attendance and interest. This is reflected in coverage from the media as a whole, and it does not seem to matter whether men or women are doing the coverage. Until interest in women’s athletics is on equal terms with men’s, their coverage will continue to languish.

            What is less forgivable is the treatment that some female reporters have faced in the masculine hegemony. Many have reported being harassed, sexually or otherwise, by athletes, coaches and co-workers. Many have also reported a discernible and impenetrable “glass ceiling” above which a female sports reporter cannot advance. This is the 21^st century, and our society has (nominally) evolved past the superstitions and biases of the previous centuries. Unfortunately these biases still exist, and until they are truly eliminated, we as Americans are all the worse off for it. They are women. Hear them roar.