Athletes are the new superheroes Pt. 2
“I know that women, once convinced that they are doing what is right, that their rebellion is just, will go on, no matter what the difficulties, no matter what the dangers, so long as there is a woman alive to hold up the flag of rebellion” — Emmeline Pankhurst, Suffragette and British Political Activist.
To understand today’s women athlete activists, we must first explore the trailblazers that paved the way before them. The women’s suffrage movement was born out of the want for self-determination by women. The suffragettes and suffragists campaigned militantly and peacefully for their civil, social and political rights. Although their methods were different, their goal was the same, to enhance women’s stake in education, politics and social society.
The Role Sport Has Played in Women’s Suffrage
“There was this mentality that women just simply weren’t capable — they weren’t capable of higher education, they weren’t capable of being involved in politics, they weren’t capable of doing sport,” — Jaimie Schultz Ph.D., an associate professor in the department of kinesiology at Penn State University and author of Women’s Sports: What Everyone Needs to Know.
The bicycle
At first glance, it is not clear what role sport had in Women’s Suffrage. But, in the 19th century, it was one of many things that the establishment decided women could not do. Nevertheless, the Bicycle was the 19th-century woman’s first taste of the liberation power of physical activity. For the first time, women were able to use their autonomy and travel around on their own.
Additionally, the day to day attire of women changed. Out of need, women started to wear functional clothing. Sport goods manufacturers were now aware that the continued disenfranchisement of women would limit their market potential. As a result, Women found themselves exposed to a new realm of possibilities to participate in other sports.
That fatal day
“I did it deliberately, and with all my power, because I felt that by nothing, but the sacrifice of human life would the nation be brought to realise the horrible torture our women face. If I had succeeded, I am sure that forcible feeding could not in all conscience have been resorted to again” — Emily Davison, English Suffragette, on throwing herself over the balcony during hunger strike whilst she was in prison as a protest against force-feeding.
The suffragettes realised the power of sport as a platform. They used Golf, Football and Tennis to get their voices heard. Their disruptive displays never failed to catch the eyes of an audience. Consequently, Emily Davison decided to take advantage of the attention sports garnered. Emily Davison’s death is one of the most iconic moments in the history of women suffrage. And it undoubtedly contributed to the passing of the Bill that allowed women to vote over a decade later.
As fate would have it, her fatal act at the Epsom Derby in 1913 symbolised years of struggle. Derby Day was the perfect spectacle, an estimated 500,000 people were in attendance, including King George V and Queen Mary who were there to watch their horse Anmer, the target for Davison, race. There was no better way to make a statement, than in front of the class who pretend they can’t hear or see you. As Anmer left the bend, approaching the final straight, Davison sprung out from the crowd, holding a suffragette flag. She was struck and died from internal injuries four days later.
Football is a man's game
“The game of football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged" — The FA after introducing a ban of women's football in premier league spectator facilities.
There has been recent discussion about the quality of Women’s football in comparison to Men’s football. Covid brought to light the inconsistencies between the way the two are governed, which highlighted that it is unfair to judge the women’s game as it is today when it’s clear to see that they haven’t been given the same hand.
During the beginning of World War 1 women performed the traditional societal roles of men. They took on their jobs and entertained society with their football skills. And, by 1920 there were 150 women football teams. 59,000 was the highest recorded attendance that year, making it clear that there was an audience for the women’s game.
The FA decided not to celebrate this success. Instead, they projected their fears, and in 1921 The FA banned women’s football, out of worry that the women’s game would become more popular than the men’s league. This ban didn’t cease until 1971, with only 44 women teams returning. Unlike cycling, there wasn’t enough support for women to participate in football. Although the fight for the right to vote ended in 1928, the fight for the right to play sport continued.
A Brief History of Women Athlete Activists
Run forest run
“No dame ever ran the Boston Marathon!. If any woman could do it, you could, but you would have to prove it to me. If you ran the distance in practice, I’d be the first to take you to Boston.” — Arnie Briggs, Katherine Switzer’s Athletics Coach.
Whilst there had been strides made towards equal access to sporting opportunities for women, the speed in which things were changing was not quick enough for Katherin Switzer. The Boston Marathon had not let a female participant officially compete for the 70 years of its existence. But in 1967 Switzer entered the Marathon with one goal in mind, to prove her doubters wrong. She accepted her coaches challenge and claimed to have completed her 26-mile trial with ease. Her coach kept his promise, and they began training to make history.
We checked the rule book and entry form; there was nothing about gender in the marathon. I filled in my AAU number, plunked down $3 cash as entry fee, signed as I always sign my name, “K.V. Switzer,” and went to the university infirmary to get a fitness certificate. — Katherin Switzer
After the first three miles of the race, she faced adversity. A race official repeatedly assaulted her to discourage her from continuing. But the allyship shown by her fellow male contestants encouraged her to the finish line. It wasn’t until 1972 that women were allowed to compete officially in the Boston Marathon. And it is reported that 46 per cent of entrants today are women. We don’t need to imagine how this moment empowered women and girls everywhere.
Anything a man can do, a woman can do better
“Had I lost, women’s tennis would have suffered, Title IX could have been hurt and the women’s movement would have been damaged…I knew it was very important I win the match if I wanted people to take women’s tennis and women seriously” — Billie Jean King
If there was still a mentality that women weren’t capable of doing sport, the “Battle of the Sexes” spectacle certainly shifted these perceptions. Billie Jean King was an advocate for equality. She campaigned for equal pay amongst men and women in tennis, and her victory against Bobby Riggs showed why gender should not be viewed as a barrier to human potential.
King was fighting for a culture change in the way men thought about women as athletes and what women thought about themselves and their capabilities. At a time when sexist rhetoric was the norm, the feminist movement could not afford anything less than a win. King recognised this and, the legacy of that famous match proved she was right. Four decades later, all grand slams offer equal prize money. And the highest-paid female athletes of today are tennis players.
The Next Generation of Women Athlete Activists
The heir to Billie’s throne?
“As a black woman I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis. I don’t expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing, but if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport I consider that a step in the right direction. — Naomi Osaka
Although some of the most influential social activists have been black women, the beneficiaries of the right to vote campaign were predominantly white. The women suffrage movement wasn’t always inclusive to black women. The leaders often made them march separately and excluded them from attending conventions. This makes Osaka’s recent use of her platform in support of Black Lives Matter (BLM) even more meaningful. And she’s not taking it for granted.
Shock value is a powerful way of drawing attention. Osaka delivered this with her U.S. Open Pre-match and Post-match displays. She wore seven different face masks, which named victims of police violence, during each round of the grand slam, in which she eventually won. It was a symbolic gesture, that screamed: “Say their names! You may not be able to hear my voice, but you can read my lips”. And what made it more effective was its cultural relevance. Osaka’s use of the face masks to get the BLM message across to the tennis community was extremely creative. Over 1 million fans tuned in for the Women’s Final and witnessed her display.
Additionally, Osaka’s recent actions have expressed the influences taken from the suffrage movement. In August 2020 she refused to play her semi-final match at the Western & Southern Open, joining athletes worldwide in player strikes after an American Police officer shot an unarmed black man in the back seven times. The disruption of the semi-finals would have made a lot of people sit up and take notice. One Billion people worldwide watch tennis, making it the 4th most-watched spectator sport in the world and thus a powerful platform to spread important messaging.
There’s no I in team
“I believe through the power of sport, we can change the fate of our planet” — Hannah Mills
Women of all creeds now have a platform to speak, be heard and be understood. The stake in society that they have fought for has awarded them the ability to speak on social and political issues and influence decision making. Hannah Mills, Olympic gold and silver medallist sailor and an IOC sustainability ambassador founded the Big Plastic Pledge with this in mind. The campaign aims to eradicate single-use plastic in sport.
Sports has a large stake in the climate justice movement. And a responsibility to ensure the 2015 sustainable development goals are achieved, or we risk a situation where sporting infrastructure will be compromised. Associated sports travel, energy use and construction in the short term could result in damaged surfaces, drought and flooding in the long-term, leading to the abandonment of sporting events in the future.
The continued development of sailing as a sport is reliant on the environmental state of the planet. During the Rio Olympic cycle, this became even more apparent. Mills experienced the impact of pollution first-hand, with the beaches, marinas and coastal areas she was training in damaged by plastic. This inspired her to call for a coalition between Governments, Sports Governing Bodies, NGO’s, Brands and Athletes to engage and educate the global audience sport has.
Sports ability to build consensus and coalition is unprecedented. The power of social media has allowed sports fandom to reach new heights. Athletes can now share their personality and build relationships directly with their most avid fans. As a result, their influence to persuade has increased tenfold, leading to brands and organisations recognising the value in association with them. Involving the stakeholders of this ecosystem will slowly create a united feeling around climate justice and buy-in from individuals to change their behaviours.
One brand’s trash is another brand’s treasure
How brands get it wrong
“I’ve been one of Nike’s most widely marketed athletes. If I can’t secure maternity protections, who can?…If we have children, we risk pay cuts from our sponsors during pregnancy and afterward. It’s one example of a sports industry where the rules are still mostly made for and by men” — Allyson Felix
The Allyson Felix and Nike maternity leave ordeal is a perfect example of how brands can get it wrong when it comes to social issues. For a brand that encourages its audience to dream crazy, the dream of being a mother and athlete at the same time was deemed a little bit too crazy.
Allyson Felix is one of the most decorated track & field athletes in history. However, the six-time Olympic gold medallist and 11-time world champion value had supposedly dropped 70% while she was pregnant according to Nike. Nevertheless, this was not her primary concern. Felix was troubled by the lack of maternity protection offered to her. Felix decided to stand up for the women that shared her dream of a life outside of sport.
Fellow American Track athletes, Alysia Montaño and Kara Goucher joined Allyson in the fight for maternity rights for all women athletes. They brought the public into the world of athlete-brand relations by heroically breaking their non-disclosure agreements to share their maternity stories. The trio gained worldwide support from the public; forcing the hands of Nike, Burton, Altra, Nuun and Brooks to announce a policy change which would include pregnancy pay and bonus protections for women athletes.
How brands get it right
“Brands have a responsibility to address social issues such as racial disparity, LGBTQ+ acceptance, humanitarian crises and sustainability. They must be culturally aware especially with recent global protests and share the feelings on equal representation of gender and ethnicity” — Purity Consumer Report, August 2020.
In the aftermath of the athlete maternity rights campaign, Nike lost one of its prized assets to Athleta, GAP’s purpose-built women’s sports apparel brand. Ironically they won Allyson Felix over with the same sentiment Nike did a decade earlier. Alison Felix became their first athlete endorser and the face for their “power of the campaign”. The campaign aims to amplify the brand’s mission to ignite a community of active, confident women and girls to reach their potential through the power of sisterhood.
Athleta understands that to achieve this mission; it will need to use the athletes who care to speak to the consumers who care. By doing this, they can start to normalise the participation of women and girls in sport. To get more women and girls participating in sports, Athleta must sympathise industry stakeholders to their struggle. Using creative ways to break women stereotypes in sport to improve the understanding of the barriers to entry for women in sport will achieve this. As a result, suitable provisions can be developed to cater to their needs in the future.
82% of people say that how a brand acts or behaves is important to them — Purity Consumer Report, August 2020.
This was a surprising end to the saga. Nike’s unwavering support for equality in the past had won them many admirers, and rightly so. Nike had a chance to continue its dominance as the most socially aware brand in sports and gain influence over the female consumer market. But consequently, they have given Athleta a fantastic opportunity to differentiate themselves, by showing that they, unlike Nike, understand the 21st-century women struggle.
To conclude…
Women athletes are the forgotten heroes in athlete activism. Unlike men, much of their activism work has come in the form of fighting to ensure that sporting opportunities are provided equally for girls and women. Women athletes now leverage their stake in society to raise awareness concerning issues other than equality of opportunity in sport. They now speak on broader societal issues that affect everyone.
Not only do they speak for a generation of girls that aspire to be judged based on their athletic abilities, but they also give their voice to the voiceless in society. Racial equality and climate justice will continue to be concerns of the public in the future. Athletes that can mobilise their platform by improving the lines of communication between themselves and their fans will be the most effective at driving change.
Brands have a part to play during this transformative time too. If they want to understand and influence consumer behaviours, they must find out what makes them tick. In some cases, its morality issues. Brands should ask themselves how they can solve these issues and help themselves and, their consumers become better world citizens. One thing they must not do is lack empathy. Nikes Allyson Felix failure proved that consumer behaviour still controls brand behaviour. And reactivity to social issues especially will look insincere.
We look forward to witnessing the next wave of women athlete activists brave enough to challenge the status quo.
As you were,
Edi from The Athletes View
