by Kim L Kirsch

Created on: January 20, 2009

You've heard the saying, "The more things change, the more they stay the same." This statement holds true in the sports arena when it comes to the differences between male and female athletes.

In today's world female athletes are learning the hard way that even if they train harder than their male counterparts and out-perform them they will still not receive the same recognition or money that the guys make.

The women's lib era ensured that women can obtain the same jobs, perform the same sports, and have the same rights as men. Unfortunately, the movement fell short when it comes to pay and sponsorships in sports. Even in today's sporting realm women are not paid as much as men. This is especially true in youth sports.

Female youth athletes do not receive the same sponsorship packages as their male teammates. Not only that, when a male performs some fantastic, out-of-this world feat in their sport there are articles written about it for newspapers, the sport's web forums put them on a pedestal while a female can perform better than the male and not one word will be mentioned.

I am assuming that readers of this article might think that I have an ax to grind or something. I really am only writing because I have seen it with my own two eyes and it is this writer's opinion that the issue should be addressed.

An example of what I am talking about would be an event where girls and guys were competing, not against each other. There were female events and male events. These events were contested in Florida. The prizes for the events were cash for the first three finishers of each event plus an overall purse.

In an attempt to save time, the female events were cut shortened. The money was also not properly dispersed. The guys won more than the girls. The sponsors of these athletes also were non-appreciative of their hard-working female representatives. In one example the female won 3 of her events, while placing 3rd in 2 others. She also won the overall competition. Her male teammates performed considerably lower with only 2 second places and a 3rd. The girl was not congratulated by the sponsor. In fact, he told her that she didn't do a good enough job so she would not be getting any new equipment that she needed as hers was falling apart, while the guy who only got two 2nd placements was having everything handed to him.

This is only one example of how sexist sports can be even in this day and age where we as parents tell our children that they can do anything they want to do. While this may be true, it would also seem that we would have to tell them that they will not be appreciated, nor compensated for doing "anything they want to do."

Sexism is sporting events is hurting many young female athletes and their families. Some families I know of personally with potential super-stars in their sport have left due to the sport they are involved in being a dead-end road, but only for the girls. Parents simply do not wish to deal with the egos of promoters, sponsors, and many times coaches who only think of themselves and their favorites instead of being in it for the athletes and their mental well-being.

I am not saying that all female athletes should be accepted to teams. If they don't have it, they just don't have it. What I am saying is that when a female athlete is at the top of her sport, whether it be local, youth, amateur, or professional they are due the same amount of respect, sponsorship and pay out that their male counterparts are receiving.

Women may have fought for and won equality, but when it comes to sports, things haven't changed much other than the right to play. It is simply amazing to me that we are still having this problem after all these years.

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