How Male-Dominated Sports Are Becoming Much More Popular for Girls

For a long time, women have been excluded from playing sports with men. This in turn created ‘gendered’ sports, making specific sports more stereotypically feminine or masculine. In recent years the gender binary has become more fluid in various aspects of society — including the sports industry. Women have begun to compete in typically masculine and male-dominated sports. Boarding high schools are a comfortable yet motivating place for woman to initially find their place within male-dominated sports. 

Title IX 

Enacted in 1972, Title IX prohibits the discrimination of any individual from a federally funded activity or organization. This greatly propelled women into sports that had been applied to both males and females over its history. Boarding high schools do not generally receive federal funding, but many still follow the guidelines of Title IX due to societal expectations that have developed. 

Female Empowerment

Women have really begun to realize their self-worth and athletic ability. This growth in confidence has allowed them to enter into masculine sports and join male dominated sports teams. For example, hockey, basketball and even wrestling have started to include women. Because of the growth of female empowerment, women have begun to embrace the idea of aggression — a necessary characteristic in many male-dominate sports.

Other Legal Amendments 

While men began jumping in ski jumping World Cups in 1979, women were unable to compete until the 2011 season. Legal restrictions in the sports industry directly prohibit women from entering into some male-dominate sports; however, with amendments to the law women have been able to begin entering these fields. 

Increased Coverage 

Because of all the equalizing changes that have been enacted, female sports in their entirety have had an increase in media coverage. This includes coverage of women playing football, weightlifting and other stereotypically masculine sports that are male dominated. With this increased coverage, women are easily able to recognize their ability to successfully play these typically male sports.   

An overall paradigm shift of society’s perception of women has allowed them to enter into typically male-dominated sports. Female professional athletes may be the ones making headlines, but younger athletes in boarding high schools are also making waves against strictly gendered sports.

Boarding high schools can foster an environment where women feel supported as they expand their athletic experience. Although the idea of women becoming involved in masculine sports is a relatively new idea, numerous progressions have been made within the past few decades due to legal amendments — and the overall growth in female empowerment has increased as well.

Emily Leavens is an academic writer for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Wasatch Academy. Follow on Twitter.