On co-ed sports teams and the lack of respect for female athletes

Sports have long been a space that exacerbates, and even celebrates, the gender divide. From recreational youth leagues to the Olympic circuit, men and women are separated into their respective teams. Women and men often practice separately, compete separately, and in some cases, there are even modified rules within a sport depending on gender (e.g. baseball versus softball, men's versus women's lacrosse, and even the differing events in mens and women's gymnastics). While a few sports have become more co-ed (e.g. curling, mixed doubles tennis), the fact of the matter is, when it comes to sports, we are comfortable with keeping men and women apart.

On both the professional and the recreation level, however, this is beginning to change. In the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, the International Olympic Committee has approved several new mixed-gender events including mixed doubles table tennis, mixed swimming relays, a mixed triathlon relay, and mixed athletics (track) relays. At the recreational level, intramural college teams more often than not have a mixed league, as do adult sports leagues. While older players seem to have gotten on-board with coed sports, a proliferation of mixed gender teams has yet to arise among children and youths. Co-ed sports teams are often lauded as movement toward gender equality (by news outlets, and by some vocal male athletes that have spoken to me on the subject).

But while co-ed sports may facially promote gender equality, in practice, they are not as equal as they appear. In my experience - as a competitive soccer player who played from age four through to college - co-ed sports aren't all that they're cracked up to be in terms of gender equality.

I distinctly remember playing for a weekend co-ed team in college (an additional team I played for on top of being a starter for the university's women's team). I started the game as our left midfielder (largely because there always had to be at least one girl on the field at any given time, a stipulation I will delve into later in this post). I was the only girl on the field. Right before the game started, a player from the other team yelled out, "No need to defend her, guys!". Everyone, even my own teammates, laughed.

On another occasion while playing for an adult league in Davis, which also had a minimum number of girls on the field rule, I played the full 90-minute game and intentionally received the ball from my teammates maybe two or three times despite being open on countless occasions. Instead of passing me the ball, my teammates took on two, three, sometimes even four defenders on their own. Apparently one guy against four defenders has a better chance of succeeding than one girl in open space.

These are just two of my experiences on co-ed soccer teams, although I have plenty more. In reality, co-ed sports teams for women aren't as "co" as advertised. More often it feels as though women are there to meet the quota. Once we're on the field and accounted for, it becomes a guy's only game.

Co-ed sports presents the quintessential backdrop for the sameness/different frameworks of feminism. Under a sameness analysis, mixing men and women on teams embraces the idea that women are just as talented and capable as men. We can "keep up with the boys"! This in itself is problematic because it promotes male athleticism as the ideal standard of play, but I digress. But, it is true. There are incredibly talented women in every sport that rival the skills, speed, and athletic intelligence of a male athlete. But, no matter how good a woman is, she can still walk onto a pitch and immediately be discounted because of her status as a woman, like what happened to me.

But, the difference framework does little more to help solve this problem. In emphasizing the differences between the sexes - men's general advantage in strength and speed - women again are marginalised as athletes. Furthermore, rules meant to offset or account for the differences either (1) are inherently belittling, or (2) do not help at all. Some examples of these rules are, as previously mentioned, requiring a certain number of women on the field (and forcing teams to play with less players if they cannot field enough women), and mandating that women be involved in a play in some way before scoring (or the point does not count). Neither rule integrates women into the game. In fact, the rules are premised on the fact that we need to somehow "find the space" for women to fit into a man's game. Both rules are unsuccessful at promoting equality in sports.

Neither the sameness nor difference framework support women in sports. What is lacking from co-ed sports are not rules mandating female involvement, or opportunities for women to play at the same level as men with men (again, this is inherently problematic - why are male athletes our benchmark?). What is lacking is respect from male athletes. In my experience, male athletes simply do not look at female athletes as their equal. While I may be able to "impress" them by making a decent play every now and again, my actions are just that, a one-off fluke. My participation on the field is dependent on men agreeing to give me chance.

So what are the solutions to this problem?

For one, men can start supporting female athletes on and off the playing field. More men need to support the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team as they play this summer in the World Cup. This shouldn't be too hard considering the Women's Team is the U.S.'s only hope at World Cup success this cycle because the Men's Team failed to qualify. But outside of soccer (which I have selfishly focused on because it is my sport of choice), men need to witness the incredible athleticism displayed by women in all sports at the same frequency as they consume men's sports.

Secondly, and this goes hand in hand with increased viewership, female athletes need to be paid the same as male athletes of the same sport. The pay disparity reflects how we value women in sports versus men in sports. If we want to garner greater respect for female athletes, we have to start compensating them equally for their athleticism. Although this focuses on professional athletes, I believe the impact of mutual respect will be felt at all skill levels.

I'm not confident these two suggestions will fix everything, but they are a start towards ameliorating the lack of respect given to incredibly talented, capable women. Until then, I will seek comfort in all- female teams. I continue to be wow-ed, inspired, and strengthened - physically and personally - by the women I have been honoured to call my teammates over the years. My all-female teams and leagues have been a source of intense competition and challenge as well as friendship for me. I will continue to play and celebrate within my gendered sphere. And when I'm feeling up to the challenge, I will get back on the field with the boys, ignore them shouting, "No need to defend her!", and go and score a goal anyways. That's exactly what I did the day I played left-midfield for my college co-ed team, and I will do it again.