Chapter 5 From Intersection to Collision: Women’s Sport 1920 –1980: Chapter 5 From Intersection to Collision: Women’s Sport 1920 –1980 Stevie Chepko & Lynn Couturier notes by N. Bailey from Women in Sport, Greta Cohen, Ed.
Women’s & Men’s Worlds Collide: Women’s & Men’s Worlds Collide Greater prosperity, voting rights, sexual mores changing, social mobility growing, access to education
Homosocial world of their grandparents made little sense now
Men and women brought together as friends in schools, churches, and in recreational settings
The 60’s movement: The 60’s movement Following the Black Civil Rights Movement of the 50’s women questioned assumptions about gender roles
Demanded equality in government, schools, employment, in the family
Questioned gender stereotypes
Changed the world forever
Intersecting Worlds: Intersecting Worlds WWI women took men’s jobs and services
Occupations still gendered
Consumer culture growing
YMCA included men, YWCA excluded men
Family ties important for the YM
Transition Period: Transition Period Women’s organizations became subsumed under men’s organizations:
YMCA & YWCA pattern for later:
AIAW and NCAA
1920’s symbolized a new sexuality
The flapper era
Sexologists and Sport: Sexologists and Sport The sexual revolution put men and women together in governmental, recreational, school settings.
New generation of feminists rejected female solidarity and the homosocial world of previous generations
Only heterosexual sex is acceptable; homosocial was suspect as homosexual
Krafft-Ebing Sexologist: Krafft-Ebing Sexologist Girls should avoid certain behavior in order to avoid Uranism
He described what we would call a “tomboy” today and claimed that those girls have a masculine soul and were suspect
Sexual freedom a double edged sword for the older generation of women
How Marriage Changed: How Marriage Changed The Victorian marriage gave way to ideal of companionship and emotional intimacy
New model removed earlier feminists argument against marriage
College women now began marrying at higher rates than earlier. Mrs. Degree
Enforced Heterosexual Stereotype: Enforced Heterosexual Stereotype Example of the Babe being femme
Dress, makeup, hairdo, etc.
Sex identity tested in female Olympians
Since the Babe’s time, female athletes continue to think it wise to present a feminine image
If challenge the image get labeled
Industrial Leagues: Industrial Leagues Working class women
Companies used sport for health promotion
YWCA sponsored competitions
Married women didn’t much participate because of domestic duties and social expectations
Leagues remained past the depression
Class Issues: Class Issues Working class women could participate in team sports
Middle and upper class women played golf, tennis, archery,
Women’s sport stars emerged
AAU furnished women Olympians
Women stars didn’t challenge the male sporting world – were the exception
Olympic Participation: Olympic Participation Establishment of the Modern Olympics tried to exclude women
Women’s place was in the stands cheering on their males
Welfare capitalism of the corporations put women into the Olympics
Over the objections of the women physical educators
African American Women’s Sport Experience: African American Women’s Sport Experience Through traditionally black schools and colleges
Men usually served as coaches
Much like the Negro League in baseball, African American women organized regional and national competition in various sports
Tidye Pickett & Louise Stokes: Tidye Pickett & Louise Stokes Qualified for the Olympic relay team but were replaced by white women who hadn’t qualified – 1932
They competed in 1936 without much training or coaching
Jesse Owens received widespread support and training
Tuskegee Relays: Tuskegee Relays Beginning in 1927 the Tuskegee Relays showcased African American men in track and field, golf, tennis in H.S. and College.
Women shared in the relays in 1929
First African American gold Olympic medal was won by a woman: Alice Coachman
Pride, Purpose, and Visibility: Pride, Purpose, and Visibility Black colleges allowed women to participate in sport and celebrated their success
Tennessee State coach raised the standard: recruiting, year ‘round practice, financial support
Sport for women: an opportunity for education and economic advancement
Women & World War II Era: Women & World War II Era The war effort
The Al American Baseball Girls Baseball League
Postwar – Women told to go home
G.I Bill sent women to college
Women retuning to college after family raised was started with this generation
The Cold War: The Cold War American women could stay home and take care of the family
Russian women had to work
Old notions of appropriate roles remained even though women and men intersected in the workplace, social settings and in sport
The Inevitable Collision: The Inevitable Collision Women’s Liberation of the 1960’s
The Women’s Sports Movement
Battle for equality
Billie Jean King increased prize money
Organizations that recognized race: National Black Feminist Organization, Las Chicanas, The National Welfare Rights Organization, Indian women’s movement
Battles for Equality Raged: Battles for Equality Raged Sport mirrored the women’s movement in the larger culture
Left DGWS for AIAW activism
Title IX enacted 1972
Strides have been made
But we’re not there yet
Still not in compliance