Home » Posts tagged 'Equality'
Tag Archives: Equality
Serving Up Equality: The Quest in Women’s Tennis
By Tate Frederick, IV Form
Serving Up Equality: The Quest in Women’s Tennis
With the rampant gender inequality in professional sports, tennis could easily be considered one of the least sexist due to its recently equalized prize money. In fact, the World Economic Forum recently wrote that “the Women’s Tennis Association [is] pushing the women’s game and pioneering gender equality” (Edmond). Contrary to public perception, the professional tennis circuit still has to make significant improvements in order to achieve gender equality. The financial distribution still heavily favors men, some of the rules perpetuate sexist values, and unfair stereotyping of female players is frequent.
Despite the fact that prize money became equal in 2007, women still make far less than male players. On the Forbes’ list of top-earning athletes, Serena Williams only comes in 51st, behind five male players, even though she has won more grand slam titles than any player, regardless of gender, in history, and holds endorsements with companies such as Nike, Gatorade, and JPMorganChase (Wang). Williams has earned tens of millions of dollars less than Novak Djokovic even though she has won many more titles than he has (Macur), due to the overall amount of prize money. If Williams, arguably one of the greatest athletes of all time, can’t achieve equal pay in comparison to her less-winning counterparts, where is the hope for women in less acclaimed positions? By maintaining this inequality, the tennis circuit is discouraging and discrediting the achievements of women in the sport. (more…)
The Future Is Female
By Dr. Heather Harwood, Classics Department Head
The Future Is Female
The women’s movement in America informed much of my development from a girl to a woman and has defined my identity as more than any other social or cultural event. Growing up in the 1970’s I watched and listened with a child’s wondering eyes and ears as the role of women in society blossomed and evolved all around me. I was exposed to children’s programs like Free to Be You and Me, a musical entertainment project that promoted radical gender and racial equality. I also remember watching the television program Mary Tyler Moore with my parents, a show considered progressive at the time, that followed the life of a young single woman making her way in the traditionally male dominated world of television journalism. In high school, I chose topics for research papers on women’s issues, from the Susan B. Anthony and the Women’s Suffragist Movement to Roe Vs. Wade to the Equal Rights Amendment. (more…)
Racial Colorblindness: The Solution to a Delusional Society?
By Sophie Haugen, IV Form
Racial Colorblindness: The Solution to a Delusional Society?
Lois Lowry’s dystopian community of sameness in The Giver appears to be perfect, but this is not true. This world of sameness represses individuality, creating a meaningless world without love. Imagine our world – progressive and controversial – without difference. Upon first glance it seems ideal; no conflict about humanity’s differences or room for judgement. But, would there be any culture or diversity at all? Lowry’s creation of a colorblind society warns our own that while we should strive for equality, “colorblindness” isn’t the answer. Racial colorblindness has been part of discussions around affirmative action in college admissions and the Constitution. Colorblindness is exactly what it sounds like: blindness to skin color, race, and any variety these bring. As an ideal, it’s well-intentioned, but in reality it is a way to pretend race doesn’t exist and to ignore racism as social problem, as well as devalue the importance of culture and difference. (more…)
LEO 