Obstacles for ALL Women in Sports

“All My Hopes and Dreams” was the title of a recent article that we read in class. I found that article to be interesting, but by reading it and looking back to all that I have learned about women’s sports, I also realized that women of all races struggle for their dreams and hopes in sports. I never had the opportunity to engage into any sports, but I always admired the girls and women that played different sports. I always thought that they were strong not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. As a woman, I always thought, “Wow, playing sports must be hard because it’s just adding another activity to one’s already busy life!” As women, we are always striving for a better education while performing other duties at home or defined roles that society expects us to perform. In this article, we learned that Latinas’ softball talents often became part of the family resource for a higher education. It was not only about getting a better education, though, it was also because they loved to play softball and it was part of their life. Many did not have the resources to become professionals and the lack of information or advice held them back from becoming better. Obstacles like these are what keep women from becoming better athletes or being recognized for their athletic talents. I think that there have always been all kinds of obstacles that keep women from achieving their goals.
African American women have also faced obstacles. By focusing on race and gender rather than athletic talent, the white and black press constructed public identities for Althea Gibson and Alice Coachmen that marginalized them as athletes. They both loved what they did and they wanted to be recognized as talented women athletes, but instead the media overshadowed their talents. White women, like the pedestriennes in the 19th century, desired moral respectability. Instead of being recognized as strong women and having athletic talent, they were seen as frail, weak, & dependent. The media always failed to recognize them and all they did was create false identities of them and profit from it. We also have the Japanese-American women who played softball because they enjoyed it and because they felt that softball was an activity of the larger American society to which they belonged. They were put into internment camps and even though they played softball in there, it was not the same. Once they left the camps, softball was not a priority or an activity that they could engage into since they were busy putting their lives back together.
Whether it is resources, economic status, social status, government intervention or the media, there are always obstacles for women to be recognized for their athletic talent. I think that women athletes face challenges everyday just to prove that they are good at what they do. It is so hard for them to have equal rights and to be given the same opportunities that male athletes have, but I am sure that one day they will reach that goal. They will be recognized and they will be given equal rights and opportunities to become and show that they can be great athletes.

Miriam Mendez
KIN 338I-1
T/Th 9:30-10:45