The underrepresentation of women in sport leadership in South Africa
IntroductionThe lack of representation of women in sport leadership, despite global movements and policies that have found some traction, is a persistent, unremitting challenge globally, and especially in South Africa. This study aimed to explore the intersections of gender and sports ideology and i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2023.1186485/full |
| _version_ | 1797392992557858816 |
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| author | Nana Akua Achiaa Adom-Aboagye Cora Burnett |
| author_facet | Nana Akua Achiaa Adom-Aboagye Cora Burnett |
| author_sort | Nana Akua Achiaa Adom-Aboagye |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionThe lack of representation of women in sport leadership, despite global movements and policies that have found some traction, is a persistent, unremitting challenge globally, and especially in South Africa. This study aimed to explore the intersections of gender and sports ideology and its impact on gender (in) equity in the South African context. The study draws on African feminist theories and perspectives as a conceptual framework.MethodsTwenty-eight interviews with prominent administrators, gender activists in sport, and practitioners from the sport-for-development sector and thematic document analysis provided qualitative data for the generation of three main themes relating to: (i) norms and values; (ii) male resistance; and (iii) agency.ResultsThe results of the study show minimal traction on changing patriarchally informed cultural beliefs towards women with men as gatekeepers and masculinity framed for leadership attributes in most sports.DiscussionWithin an African feminist viewpoint, gender justice is multilayered and the inclusion of women within a holistic environment of shared decision-making and equitable resource mobilisation and distribution cannot be achieved through advocacy alone but necessitate the mainstreaming of a gender agenda to meaningfully address transformative change of sport systems and practices. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T23:55:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-546119ac72594d5499bf14c427f23616 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-9367 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T23:55:39Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
| spelling | doaj.art-546119ac72594d5499bf14c427f236162023-12-13T04:53:29ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sports and Active Living2624-93672023-12-01510.3389/fspor.2023.11864851186485The underrepresentation of women in sport leadership in South AfricaNana Akua Achiaa Adom-AboagyeCora BurnettIntroductionThe lack of representation of women in sport leadership, despite global movements and policies that have found some traction, is a persistent, unremitting challenge globally, and especially in South Africa. This study aimed to explore the intersections of gender and sports ideology and its impact on gender (in) equity in the South African context. The study draws on African feminist theories and perspectives as a conceptual framework.MethodsTwenty-eight interviews with prominent administrators, gender activists in sport, and practitioners from the sport-for-development sector and thematic document analysis provided qualitative data for the generation of three main themes relating to: (i) norms and values; (ii) male resistance; and (iii) agency.ResultsThe results of the study show minimal traction on changing patriarchally informed cultural beliefs towards women with men as gatekeepers and masculinity framed for leadership attributes in most sports.DiscussionWithin an African feminist viewpoint, gender justice is multilayered and the inclusion of women within a holistic environment of shared decision-making and equitable resource mobilisation and distribution cannot be achieved through advocacy alone but necessitate the mainstreaming of a gender agenda to meaningfully address transformative change of sport systems and practices.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2023.1186485/fullfeminismgender equitySouth Africasport leadershipglobal South |
| spellingShingle | Nana Akua Achiaa Adom-Aboagye Cora Burnett The underrepresentation of women in sport leadership in South Africa Frontiers in Sports and Active Living feminism gender equity South Africa sport leadership global South |
| title | The underrepresentation of women in sport leadership in South Africa |
| title_full | The underrepresentation of women in sport leadership in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | The underrepresentation of women in sport leadership in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | The underrepresentation of women in sport leadership in South Africa |
| title_short | The underrepresentation of women in sport leadership in South Africa |
| title_sort | underrepresentation of women in sport leadership in south africa |
| topic | feminism gender equity South Africa sport leadership global South |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2023.1186485/full |
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