In recent years football has started to become a much more inclusive sport, with the women’s side of the game grabbing more attention than ever before.
Sky Sports recently signed a deal making them the primary broadcaster of the Women’s Super League. They are set to exclusively show at least 35 games a season as they look to push women’s sport further into the limelight.
Despite this positive swing, the treatment of women in football hasn’t changed all that much as many working within the game are still subject to sexist treatments.
Gracie Pratt, a former employee for a Sunday League club, said “I’ve had customers in the football teahut ask me what a pretty girl like me is doing working in football and making comments on my body”.
Libby Wheeler, an employee at a premier league club, said she is asked “to go straight to the kitchen to clean plates and cutlery, whereas my male counterparts are asked to go work with the heavy machinery. I believe this to be sexist as I’m just as capable as they are.”
Football, however, is moving forward with clubs like Patcham United and Lewes FC offering more opportunities to women within their teams. Lewes, for example, have equalised playing budgets and resources for their male and female teams and have seen an increase in attendances and overall income ever since.
While changes like these are modernising the game, football still has a long way to go in becoming equal for all genders.
