Male dominated sporting culture is driving women and girls away from community clubs

With Rochelle Eime

Over the past 5 years, women and girls in Victoria have increased their level of sport participation in clubs, in particular in male dominated sports. Unfortunately, community sporting clubs have a long way to go in making them feel welcome as full members. 

Our recent research published in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living investigated community sport participation for 10 major sports in Victoria. Overall player numbers rose from 749 037 in 2015 to 868,266 in 2019. 

The research, funded by Sport and Recreation Victoria and VicHealth, demonstrated that over the past 5 years participation in sport for women and girls increased across all age groups (4-84 years), and highest amongst those aged 4 (7% increase) and 5-9 (5% increase) whereas participation decreased among boys aged 5-9 and 10-14 (4% and 1% respectively).

Much of the increase in participation for women and girls was in male-dominated sports such as football (soccer), Australian football and cricket. Only in recent years have these sports started to provide women and girls with genuine opportunities to play in all-female teams and competitions. 

Whilst participation in sport is still dominated by boys and men, the participation gap is gradually closing. Government strategies and targeted investments into improving access for women and girls into community sport have increased opportunities for girls and women to play the game of their choice. 

However, progress is hampered by persisting male-focused sporting cultures in many clubs which is driving women and girls away. A recent research project funded by the Victorian Government Change our Game initiative, investigated the experiences of women and girls playing male-dominated sports. The research reported that at a societal level, the gender norms and stereotypes at local sport clubs negatively affect women and girls desire to continue their participation in these male-dominated sports. 

The women and girls interviewed for this research study talked about their experiences in playing male-dominated sports - that they were frequently taunted and exposed to highly inappropriate comments mocking their sporting choice, criticizing their skill level, ridiculing their physical appearance and diminishing their performance.

Whilst many (mostly male) club leaders were seen to value the inclusion of women and girls as players, they often lacked a real commitment to resourcing them to equal standards of male teams and to play with quality equipment, in the best facilities and in a supportive female-friendly environment. 

Interviewees commented on being seen as less serious players, and many of them had directly been confronted with disrespectful and demeaning language towards them. One of the girls described that: “they were drinking on the sideline, yelling out to one of the players saying, ‘Number 10, give us a twirl. Number 10 get up and go faster.’ Little things like that can really affect someone’s mindset.” It cannot be stressed enough what such comments and attitudes can do to those on the receiving end. One of the interviewees said that: “It absolutely wrecked me. I remember going home and just crying and crying and crying... It didn’t stop me playing though because I did have the love for the sport by that time. But you know, that one incident, I think for me has driven my passion for gender equality in sport. Whereas for some, it would have probably completely turned them away.

It is important to note that others had positive experiences and relationships with coaches and club personnel that would elevate them towards feeling empowered, however, such experiences were the minority of those reported. 

There are now great opportunities for women and girls to play aggressive, physical and tough contact sports for the first time, and for many these characteristics of the male dominated sports were a main reason for being drawn to the sport. 

It seems however that Australian society still holds on to strongly gendered norms and dividing lines between men and women when it comes to playing sport, and the lack of visibility of women and girls in male-dominated sports clubs further hinders females feeling respected and confident in their sporting pursuits. Interviewees felt that such “barriers and not feeling like you belong because of the club environment make that you can’t see yourself represented there”.

Younger generations of sport club committee members already have vastly different attitudes. They are at the forefront of culture change and as such have to lead society and communities connected through sport, to understand that equal representation and equitable opportunities are at the foundation of inclusion. 

The immediate challenge for community sport organisations and those who participate in them is to call out inappropriate behaviours and actions and find ways to create all-inclusive club environments. As noted, younger generations are more in tune with this, but as observed before, young males continue to perpetuate masculine attitudes towards women and girls playing in sports that in regard to participation numbers, are dominated by men. Equal representation on club committees, government supported education programs, mandated provision of equal quality changeroom and training facilities are only the start of a much more complex cultural change process. A process that is in train, but still has a long way to go. Male club champions of change – boys and men calling out their gender peers’ inappropriate behaviour and language might well be the most powerful force towards inclusive change.