By Alexandra Lopez Petalas, Year 12
Billie Jean King once said “Women get the attention when we get into the men’s arena, and that’s sad”. These words have resonated with young female athletes for generations. In 2021, Breanna Stewart, two-time WNBA champion and Olympic gold medalist, spoke out about pay inequality in women’s basketball. NBA players like LeBron James and Steph Curry then used their influence to spread awareness. Now that male NBA players were being involved, the media attention that this story was getting drastically spiked. This likely would not have happened if male players had not been involved.
Although this article started off grimly, it is absolutely crucial to point out some pioneers and trailblazers in women’s sports. Simone Biles, Serena Williams, Alex Morgan and Lindsey Vonn are just a few women from a myriad of athletes who have shattered stereotypes and been an inspiration to millions of young girls and women around the globe. Serena Williams, having won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, is a beacon of hope for the future of women’s sports. Not only did she make it to the 2018 Wimbledon Final, she made it only a year after having given birth to her first born daughter. She is a clear embodiment of power. She is a woman who created history, is an entrepreneur and a mother. She never stops raising the bar and showing that women’s sports are not something to be compared to men’s but a force of their own.
Simone Biles is another example of women’s sports deserving respect, admiration and equality. As one of the most accomplished gymnasts in history, Simone Biles has mastered a floor exercise which no one else can perform- the “Biles”. Her fearlessness in taking risks inspires other athletes to be more vocal about their challenges. Simone Biles has also redefined what it means to be a champion. Withdrawing from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics from mental health challenges, Biles shows the many forms in which greatness can come about.
The legacy that both these women have created has undoubtedly inspired future generations to speak out for themselves and that nothing is truly impossible- even if it has not been done before. Williams’s legacy goes farther than her record-setting wins; she is an inspiration because of her ability to break barriers in her sport. Biles has forever changed the stigma surrounding mental health, particularly in athletes and showed that strength is not just physical.
While women’s sports are filled with empowering stories, the respect that society has for them is much lower than that of mens. On average, people refer to male athletes by their last names and to female athletes by their first names. This is a call for equality and recognition which must be achieved in the near future.
So while the game might end, female athletes’s legacy lives on in every step, goal, shot and cartwheel working towards the goal of mutual respect and recognition.
