Hockey is one of the most popular sports among men, and for good reason: it’s a great workout and lots of fun. However, as much as we’d like to think that women don’t get excluded from sports due to their gender, the truth is that they’re often discriminated against. This article will go over some of the most common instances of gender discrimination in hockey, as well as how you can help change that. Let’s get into it.
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Hockey Is A Masculine Sport
A major reason why women aren’t included in hockey is due to the fact that it’s a predominately male sport. If you look at the history of hockey, you’ll see that it was originally developed for, and played by, men. Even now, hockey is considered a “man’s game,” and the roles that are played are regarded as being for men. This could be attributed to the game’s inherent physicality and roughness, which is a characteristic that is often referred to as being “manly.”
The stigma that surrounds hockey is such that even now, as it becomes more popular with women, it’s still considered less attractive than the other popular sports, such as football, by the general public. This is largely due to the misconception that hockey is a “masculine” sport, and the fact that it’s played by mostly white men.
Hockey Is Unfair On The Ice
One of the major downsides to hockey is that it’s considered to be an unfair sport on the ice. Whether it’s intentional or not, playing hockey is often times regarded as being cheating. Since hockey is a game that’s traditionally been dominated by men, they often resort to questionable tactics and illegal moves to gain an advantage. This can make it incredibly frustrating and unfair for women playing hockey, as a lot of the time, the men playing won’t even know that they’ve offended them.
Hockey is considered a “masculine” sport, so it’s no surprise that a lot of the cheating and intimidation takes place on the ice. The fact that it’s being played by men, with all its associated violence, intimidation, and cheating, doesn’t exactly make it an inviting sport for the fairer sex. While it can be frustrating and infuriating to be on the wrong end of such behavior, you can help make the world of hockey a little bit better by reporting them. Doing so will not only make sure that you’re not facing any unfair treatment, but it could also help bring to light some of the more egregious examples of discrimination and intimidation.
Hockey Is Dominated By White Men
One of the biggest issues with hockey is that it’s dominated by white men. While there are attempts to include more women and people of color in the sport, it’s still considered to be a “man’s game” and not something that’s appealing to the general public or the fairer sex. Even now, as more and more women are getting involved in hockey, it still doesn’t reflect the diversity of the United States population, and is still seen as a sport that’s only for the rich and white.
For as much as we’d like to think that women aren’t discriminated against when it comes to sports, the fact of the matter is that they are. Due to the fact that hockey is dominated by white men, it’s considered to be an unattractive sport for women, and thus, a lot of the time, they’re excluded from playing it. As much as we’d like to think that women can play hockey and be just as effective as the men, the truth is that oftentimes, they’re held back due to their gender. While this may be difficult to accept at first, it’s important to realize that, as much as we’d like to think otherwise, this is still an ongoing problem, and one that needs to be addressed if we want to see true equality in the sports world.
Hockey Is Played In Ice Arenas
One of the main reasons why women aren’t included in hockey is due to the fact that it’s traditionally been played in ice arenas. If you’re not used to the cold weather, playing ice hockey can be extremely uncomfortable, as well as dangerous. As much as we’d like to think that things are changing and the stigma that surrounds ice hockey is diminishing, the fact of the matter is that it’s still considered an unattractive sport for women due to its inherent dangers and discomfort. This is why it’s played mostly by men, with only a few women able to make it as athletes, and why it’s considered a “man’s game.” This doesn’t mean that women shouldn’t play ice hockey or that they can’t enjoy the sport, but rather that they shouldn’t expect to be effective or enjoy themselves the same as the men do.
Hockey Is A Fast-Paced Sport
Another major reason why women aren’t included in hockey is due to the fact that it’s a relatively fast-paced sport. This doesn’t mean that it’s not a good sport for anyone, but only that it requires a certain type of athletic ability, which is more common in men. This is also why it’s considered to be a “man’s game”: the majority of the players are men, so most of the positions require a lot of physicality and quickness, all of which are considered to be “manly.” Oftentimes, women who do play hockey don’t focus on doing their best, but rather on making sure that they don’t get injured. This can lead to some of them not even trying, as they’re not sure that they’ll be able to keep up with the men. As a result, they often end up not even participating, which is certainly a waste of potential.
Hockey Is More Than Physical Ability
Besides being dominated by white men and played in ice arenas, hockey is also, unfortunately, associated with an awful lot of drug use and alcoholism. It’s not just about having the right physical ability to play the game, as there’s a whole lot more involved. Having the right physical ability to play hockey is only the beginning, as you also need the mental capacity to understand the game and be able to apply your physical ability effectively.
If you want to be able to include more women and people of color in hockey, as well as remove the stigma that surrounds it, you’ll need to do more than just change the face of the sport. You’ll need to change the way that it’s played and what it stands for, and work hard to educate people, especially the white men who run and dominate hockey, about the importance of inclusivity, and removing the stigma that’s associated with the sport.