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Seeing Gender

Sports Media · Student exhibit

Women in Sports

Side-by-side comparison

Media A

U.S. women’s soccer team fights for equal pay rights

ESPN headline card: “U.S. women’s soccer equal pay fight: What’s the latest, and what’s next?” above a photo of USWNT players including Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan in white jerseys

Women’s soccer team fights for equal pay. Soccer has become the most popular and watched sport in the nation. ‘Male counterparts made twice as much for winning less games.’ Men get paid more even when they don’t win games. Women’s team claimed they never receive bonuses rather the men’s team does. Federation pledged to include equal pay, appearance fees, & match bonuses.

U.S. women's soccer equal pay fight: What's the latest, and what's next? (opens in a new tab)

Media B

The Struggle for Gender Equality in Sports Media

The Harvard Independent masthead above an illustration of two faceless women athletes, one reaching for a volleyball and one for a basketball, under the headline “Queue the Cameras: The Struggle for Gender Equality in Sports Media”

Women in sports represent roughly 40% of all sports participants, yet receive only 4–8% of total global sports media coverage. Events like Women’s World Cup, WNBA, and Olympic women’s hockey draw over 5 million U.S. viewers. Women in sports grow because the mindset switches to ‘oh they just feminist making a point in sports.’ But really women have competitive skills, tactical brilliance, and athletic strength. Media should focus on the talent.

Queue the Cameras: The Struggle for Gender Equality in Sports Media (opens in a new tab)

Comparison

Media A fights for women soccer players getting better pay because soccer is the most watched sport worldwide; they believe they should be making the same as men. Media B states that women in sports are overlooked as women just trying to make a point that they can do anything and trying to prove their feminism, while this is wrong because the media should show the hard work, talent, and strength of women athletes. This can show people the work women have to put into their sports beyond the weight room.