Gender In Sports

The argument in the text is “For men, success or failure as an athlete can be a major part of a man’s identity..... knowing about and participating in sports is an important source of men’s gender socialization....the attitude that “sports builds character” runs deep in American culture..... Sports are considered to be where one learns to be a man.”(Anderson and Taylor) In the Andersen text it states that “for most men, playing or watching sports is often the context for developing relationships with fathers.....Through sports relationships with male peers, more than anyone else, however, the men’s identity was shaped. As boys, the men could form “safe” bonds with other men (Messner 2002)”(Anderson and Taylor). In the typical view of an
However the popularity of woman's in “men's” sports has risen, and in the majority of our society many girls are pushed to join sports, as much as boys are, such as soccer or basketball, and are placed into leagues where they gain experience for when/if they decide to join their school leagues. As time progresses, I do believe that sports will be seen as vital socialization for men and women, if not in the generation of my generations, children, then in their children. Those of my generation where sports have been a big part of their life, will wish to share that with their children. The joys of being on a team, learning how to cooperate and work with others, no matter how different is vital to human beings regardless of gender. The norm of sports being for 'men' seems to be shifting as more professional athletes are coming out with their sexual orientation. Gay men are often ridiculed and regarded as weak, or 'not real men' the players coming out or demonstrating, “I'm gay, yet I had a successful athletic career in spite of/regardless of my