Despite years of progression in women’s sports, many students feel that major changes still need to be made. Instead of being uplifted, women’s sports are often framed as uninteresting compared to their male counterparts. 

“I see men’s sports more often on TV,” Kaylee Robbins, ‘24, said. “To watch women, you have to find special channels.” 

The media’s portrayal of sports has often worked to appeal towards male audiences. As a result, coverage also tends to be composed mainly of male athletes.  

“Men’s sports get paid more because more people watch them, and it makes sense. You can’t just force people to watch you, but I do think more people should watch women athletes,” Robbins said. 

Sex-based discrimination is often based upon stereotypes that women are less than men, both strength-wise and mentally. The most common excuses are that women’s sports are less interesting than men sports and that their sports are easier then men’s.  

“A lot of people view collegiate men’s sports as harder than collegiate women’s sports, which I don’t agree with because there are benchmarks that are different for men and women, but it’s just as hard for those athletes

to meet those benchmarks,” Robbins said. 

Gender tends to weave its way into the conversation of capability, but one has nothing to do with the other. 

Additionally, if a male athlete wants to pursue a career as a professional athlete, they have a variety of sports to pursue, but if a female athlete wants to do the same. their options are much more limited.

“It sucks because a lot of football players at Ohio State will go there to be scouted for the NFL, but for rowing, if I want to take this professionally, it’s to the Olympics, which if I train hard enough, I could go to the Olympics, but you have to pay for yourself in the Olympics,” Robbins said. “You’re not getting millions of dollars of money every year to row professionally. So there’s not that much opportunity outside of doing the sport in college.”

However, modern day women athletes have worked to shatter these archaic notions, as the popularity of women’s athletics has increased significantly. Women athletes have demonstrated skill, strength and excellence in their respective sports. The achievements of women in sports emphasize the talent and determination of women.

“Society needs to stop deeming sports as a ‘masculine’ activity. They are for everyone regardless of their race, orientation or gender,” Sameera Degaulle, ‘27, said.