Ladies, don’t get benched this football season!
Americans around the country are stocking up on burgers, chips and beer in preparation for this Sunday’s Super Bowl 50, the largest NFL championship game celebrating its 50th year of existence. As the guys are out back grilling burgers and chugging beers in their favorite teams’ jerseys, an overwhelming expectation about gender roles begins to slowly creep in. Women, on this nationwide celebration of football, often fall prey to feeling ostracized and unwelcomed in participating in the Super Bowl festivities in the same fashion as men.
Sporting event in the states are gendered to an extent that many women feel as if football is strictly a men’s sport, and following major teams and championship leagues is unexpected and unnatural for them to do. Women will often shrug when asked about which teams are playing in the Super Bowl or which team they’re rooting for. So many women will place themselves in a position in which they are deemed unfamiliar with football even if in actuality, they are interested and well versed about the sport.
In reality, many girls are very passionate and involved in the world of football and instead of showing off their vast array of knowledge, will assume this attitude of football being a “guys-only” sport. In the similar respect, guys fall victim to gender norms and expectations regarding athleticism and sports and are widely assumed to be very interested, active participants in the world of football.
This sports season, both men and women need to try to devalue the confining gender expectations and norms that surround sporting events, and in particular the Super Bowl, by proving the gender expectations invalid. Girls, who are familiar with the teams playing in this year’s Super Bowl, speak up! Girls, who don’t know much about football, don’t idly let the guys take over a fun celebration, but partake and try and learn about why the game is so loved and enjoyed by millions around the country. Taking small steps to fight systematic gender expectations will help us work towards more gender equality.