#UoBWomen: Being a woman in sport

Written by Caitlin Whelan

I’m Caitlin, a second-year History student and one of your Student Content Shapers. With International Women’s Month approaching I thought it would be a great time to celebrate the month and why it’s an important month.

Women's History Month

March marks Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day on the 8 March. Both are internationally recognised as the perfect time to reflect on the economic, political, and social achievements of women over time. For decades women have been fighting for equal rights with men and access to the same opportunities. It is a long and ongoing struggle but one that has had many successes.

Women’s History Month, for me, is a time to recognise the privileged position I have as a woman in higher education due to the efforts of women before me. Along with this, it is also the perfect time to appreciate seemingly smaller, personal achievements.

Being a woman in sport

During Women’s History Month there is often a lot of focus on women in sport. That’s because there has been groundbreaking progress made in recent years! As a woman who has recently surrounded herself with sports I find it very important to recognise.

The growth of women’s football has been remarkable with 12 million people tuning in to watch the Women’s World Cup final. Women weren’t allowed to play football on FA-affiliated grounds, or with registered referees until 1971. That is amazing progress. Figures like Leah Williamson and Ilona Maher have done much to advocate the right of women in sport and inspire the next generation of girls in sport.

As a young girl in school, I always felt discouraged from properly getting involved in sport because of discouraging comments made by some of the male students. Although it was a small minority that would make comments about my ability to play sports as a woman, it was enough to knock my confidence.

Luckily coming to university has completely changed my perception of sports. Although I was hesitant at first, since joining Aussie Rules my confidence has risen in sports, and I’ve never been so active. Thankfully, people have outgrown the disrespectful comments and both the men’s and women’s team are welcoming. It’s difficult to fully escape the disrespect that women’s sport still faces but encouraging teams like my own makes the world of sport much better.

How will you celebrate Women’s History Month?

Women’s History Month is important to different people for many different reasons. You may be a woman in a male-dominated STEM subject, maybe you’ve overcome different challenges because of your personal identity. Whatever it may be there is always something to celebrate. It’s important to feel proud of your achievements and recognise how ever far you may have come.

This month may also be the perfect time to try something new and add to your list of achievements! Whatever you do, take it as a time to recognise your own successes and the successes that have allowed you to have the position you have today.

Browse what's on for International Women's Day and Women's History Month.