The other day I was watching the NBA games on TV with my kids and boyfriend. We are big basketball fans and enjoy watching all the games and teams. During one of the games, the main sports commentator was a woman. I found myself annoyed with her comments and started critiquing her for them. My boyfriend and I started this little battle of rebuttals for everything that came out her mouth.
Although at the time it was all in fun and we had a good laugh, I later wondered whether my negative comments were solely because she was a woman. I think they were.
I realized that I had allowed myself to be overcome by the women and sports theory: women are not knowledgeable enough about male-dominated sports to commentate. On top of this awakening I felt like I set a horrible example for my kids … and I have 3 girls! I supported this mind frame in front of them! This is how the cycle continues. It is interesting how now that I am aware of negative stereotypes about women like this one, I see them all around, and there I was following along, too, like a robot.
From women sports commentators to women drivers, we all hear or have negative stereotypes about women, and it is up to each of us to end the cycle in order to break down the barriers women face in society.
I hope each of you will take a moment today or this week and see how many times you are the target of or perpetrator of a negative female stereotype and will make a conscious effort to challenge those stereotypes.
This post was written by Debborah Bratton-Lugo, 2008–09 AAUW Student Advisory Council.
Over 40 years ago, while a nursing student, I attended a state convention where one of my classmates, a man, had been elected a state officer. While each of the officers made presentations, I heard comments about hairstyles, the dress “she” was wearing, etc. No one listened. Then Mark got up to speak. You could hear a pin drop. Why do we do this to ourselves? And Why does it continue?
I am guilty. I am subjected to lots of ESPN. Although sportscasters in general really get on my nerves, the female commentators really irk me. I have two daughters and a son and while I try not to verbalize my comments around them, my husband hears it constantly. He does call me on it. Self-awareness is indeed the first step.
What a great blog.
It takes a lot of self-awareness and introspection to even recognize what’s behind our behavior in cases like this and then it takes a lot of courage to admit that we are influenced by stereotypes.
The same thing has happened to me when I call for technical support and a woman answers my call. Despite the fact that I’m a feminist (and formerly worked in a technical field!), I’ve found myself feeling impatient and thinking “She won’t be able to help me. I wish she would just put the guy on the phone who can answer my question.”
The reality is, of course, that probably the woman tech supporter and the woman sportscaster are more skilled than their male counterparts because they’ve persisted in these male-dominated fields despite lots of obstacles – including stereotypes saying that they can’t do their jobs.