Forward at Mountainside High School, FC Portland ECNL, 2018 Gatorade Player of the Year, University of Portland Commit
What do you think is necessary to get closer to equality in sports?
I think that the key to getting closer to equality in sports is an increase in promotion of females in athletics. More specifically, recognizing and advertising accomplishments of female athletes to the extent that male athletes are recognized will help society view male and female athletes as equals. This equal recognition will ultimately help lead to women having a more prominent and respectable role in athletics.
Do you see gender inequality in youth sports? Have you experienced it?
Yes, I most definitely see gender inequality in youth sports today. For example, at the high school level, male sporting events are almost always advertised and promoted over female sports. More specifically, school newspapers and social media accounts fail to encourage students to support women’s sports and ultimately popularize male sporting events over women’s. Personally, I would say that I have experienced gender inequality in my youth sports as a member of a high school girls soccer team. Multiple times, the school has advertised male soccer games over female games, causing us female athletes to feel much lesser and unimportant in comparison to our male counterparts.
What advice would you give to a young athlete dealing with gender inequality?
To young athletes dealing with gender inequality, I would say stay strong and stay motivated!! Don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself and make a change.