“I'm a Referee, Not a Female Referee”: The Experiences of Women Involved in Football as Coaches and Referees
A summary of the article:
The article "I’m a Referee, Not a Female Referee: The Experiences of Women Involved in Football as Coaches and Referees" explores the challenges faced by women in non-playing roles within football, particularly as coaches and referees. Despite the growth of women’s football and efforts to promote inclusivity, deep-rooted gender inequalities persist. Through interviews with 14 women coaches and 10 women referees, the study reveals that these women frequently encounter sexist attitudes, microaggressions, and discrimination within the male-dominated football environment. Many participants felt the need to "prove themselves" in order to gain respect from male colleagues, with some being tokenized as the only female in their roles. The study also highlights how these women use various coping strategies to navigate these challenges, such as humor, downplaying discrimination, and developing personal resilience.
The findings emphasize that while progress has been made, the culture of football still marginalizes women in leadership positions, limiting their opportunities for career advancement. The research concludes that football governing bodies need to go beyond superficial policies and create meaningful structural changes to foster an equitable environment for women in these roles. Without such reforms, women will continue to face significant barriers in achieving equality in football.
Key Takeaways:
Ongoing gender discrimination: Women in coaching and refereeing roles still face sexism, often being the only female in male-dominated environments.
Need to prove competence: Female coaches and referees feel the need to work twice as hard to prove their abilities, often facing added scrutiny compared to their male counterparts.
Inadequate institutional support: Despite policies aimed at increasing female participation, football organizations are critiqued for failing to provide meaningful, long-term support for women in leadership roles.
Authors: Scarlett Drury, Annette Stride, Hayley Fitzgerald, Nia Hyett-Allen, Laura Pylypiuk & Jodie Whitford-Stark
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