These Olympics have been dominated by women—just look at Canada. Canada won 22 medals, and many have been received by women. So why are the media not giving female athletes the credit they deserve? Why are women from around the world being overshadowed by their male counterparts? This can be answered in one word, sexism, but that is too simplistic an answer and it doesn’t improve media coverage. We can recognize sexism in our communities, media, and daily lives, but that doesn’t make it go away.
Penny Oleksiak, Katie Ledecky, Simone Biles, Katinka Hosszu, and Corey Cogdell: these women all have gold medals in the Rio 2016 Olympics, but who do we associate them with? Apparently, when we talk about these athletes we have to mention their brothers, husbands, male teammates, and coaches. An NBC commentator went so far as to defend his sexist comments by saying it is “impossible” to tell Hosszu’s story without crediting her husband and coach. Funny, because I sure thought I saw HER swim that world record breaking race—not her husband.
I’m sure you’ve seen the rants on social media, Olympic watchers outraged by female medalists being talked about as their husband’s wife or anything but the star they are. It’s not just an American problem, the CBC is guilty too. When 16-year-old Penny Oleksiak was introduced for her first Olympic race, the commentator pointed out that her brother, NHL player Jamie Oleksiak was in the stands. Now tell me, what does Jamie’s presence, as a bodyguard, no doubt, have to do with Penny’s silver medal result? Nothing. We need to stop looking at women in our society as objects which need protection, and whose achievements are overshadowed by their male family members.
Unfortunately, it has become a common practice. Even at Carleton our female athletes are not nearly as celebrated as our male athletes. When you go to Capital Hoops in February, who are you more excited to watch? Carleton women’s basketball is one of the most competitive teams in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East, and yet, we don’t hear when they win. If we do, it’s not even close to the same celebrations as the men’s team.
The prioritizing of men’s sports over women’s is so intrinsic to society that even as a vocal advocate for feminism, I am guilty of sometimes prioritizing men’s sports over women’s. I am known to spend my Sundays watching the NFL, and have been a long time Ottawa Senators fan. But that doesn’t mean I ignore women’s sports. You can bet on seeing me support the Carleton women’s sports teams. I will be cheering on our women’s rugby team, our women’s basketball and hockey teams. I will be making a greater effort to watch women’s sports on television and when they are in town. It’s taking the time to understand and shift our subconscious biases that will make a real change in society.
Until we start asking for information on our female athletes, not the males in their lives, we are not going to get it. If sports fans show media outlets that we care about who our female athletes are and what they achieve, the media will provide that information. We need to change our own attitudes, our own actions, we need to support our female athletes at all levels. Support them when they are teenagers and are starting to wonder if it’s uncool to be strong. Support them at the university level by showing up and cheering them on, at the professional level, where they are not paid as much because there is less of a following. And finally, at the Olympic level, when they represent our country and our values.
