The role of Equal Access in Gender Equality Campaigns (Essay Sample)

The role of Equal Access in Gender Equality Campaigns
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Introduction
This paper is a critique of two readings based on sports violence and how it becomes connected with gender on the basis of equal access. It is a focus on the role of equal access to sports and that of violence in sports. Sports violence is the use of excessive force or dirty words as well as gestures that can physically or emotionally harm another person (Messner, 1990). One of the two readings used in this critique is a book written by Messner. It focuses on the role of masculinity in promoting violence and aggression in sports, with a particular focus on American Football. The paper discusses the sources of this violence as well as its effects on the athlete and the injured opponent. It is a description of the role of sports in promoting male hegemony through violence. The other book used in this critique focuses upon on the effects of sports violence in our lives by Danielson. It focuses on the cradle of violence in sports and how much it affects those directly as well as indirectly involved.
When Bodies are Weapons: Masculinity and Violence in Sports
Messner argues from a feminist approach, and states that women have been left out of sports by men due to the use of aggression and violence. The author believes that the use of force and violence in sports was as a way to show dominance by male players, especially in Football. This argument is based on the fact that male players came up with sports violence to proof the superiority of masculinity over the female gender (Messner, 1990). There are fewer accounts of women being involved in sport violence than those related to men.
Access for women into certain sports becomes difficult as it is made only suitable for masculine violence and aggression, with the strongest and biggest players becoming heroes in their teams. Messner believes that women play in a less violent environment, thus their game may not be as entertaining to the violence-oriented fans. All of the players interviewed by Messner were males who believed that sport violence was as long as it was committed within the rules while others thought it was a misuse of the body, which later suffered injuries. Messner depicts sports violence as acquired behavior gained from support from peers, coaches and the society as a whole (1990).
Messner finds out that women are treated at weaker to men in terms of their capability to be aggressive and violent in sports. For instance, one spectator tells the author that it would be difficult for a woman to take a hit from a prominent "hitter" in the football game (Messner, 1990). In another picture, women’s role has become that of cheering the men as they played.
VIOLENCE IN SPORTS: How Does It Affect Our Lives?
Danielson also agrees that women have been left out of sports through violence, but hints at more access for female players to the game. For example, Danielson states that women also take part in violent sports like boxing. For instance, the bout between Frazer and Laila Ali was a violent sport preceded by aggression through verbal communication (Danielson, 1996).
In the book, the author argues that sports violence started with blood games, which were a preparation for war in ancient days, and they had weak or no rules at all. However, blood games were later on regulated. They were dominated by male players, a factor that has lived to date. The book brings forward a greater view of the types of violence experien...