Thoughts

Is Women’s Sport a Clear Case of Sexual

Discrimination? Emily Ryall scouts the possible answers

When the Swedish philosopher, Torbjörn Tännsjö asked “If sexual discrimination is objectionable in most other areas of our lives, why should it be acceptable within sports?” he wasn’t referring to the fact that women’s sports receive only 7% of all sports coverage in the UK and only 2% of national newspaper coverage. He wasn’t referring to the pervasive sexist attitudes that focus on the physical attractiveness of female athletes and what they are (or aren’t) wearing, rather than their physically skilful accomplishments. Tännsjö was being rather more provocative, and deliberately so. His argument centred on the notion of equality: if women and men are to be treated equally and afforded equal opportunity, then there is no reason why sport should be separated according to sex.

The obvious retort is based on the concept of fairness, and generalisations about the physiological differences between men and women. It is scientifically demonstrated that men are generally stronger and faster than women and therefore sport, which predominantly measures strength and speed, should be differentiated accordingly. As such, separating sport into male and female categories is equivalent to separating sport into other categories such as weight and age. All stem from a desire to ensure sport is fair and to preserve what Warren Fraleigh called “the sweet tension of uncertainty of outcome”. Good sport, on this account, is when competition is structured to accurately test and measure the physical capacities of those involved, and this is best done through mutually equal contests. A contest that pitches the skills of a demonstrably weaker opponent against a demonstrably stronger one is both unfair, and in some cases, reckless. For instance, no-one would argue that it is fair for an 18 stone male in his early 20s to fight against a six-year-old child in a boxing match. Even the thought of such a contest is abhorrent. Not only is the young child likely to suffer severe injury but it wouldn’t be a worthwhile sporting spectacle. We, as spectators, want to see sport where the outcome is unpredictable. The best sporting contests are those where all competitors must be at the top of their game in order to achieve victory; and where success is finely balanced. Fair sport is created by separating contests according to relevant criteria.

The problem however, is in determining what the relevant criteria are. Combat

29