Kicking Off: How Women in Sport Are Changing the Game

by Sarah Shephard

There's a battle being fought. It's raging on the sports fields, in the newsrooms and behind the scenes at every major broadcaster. Women in sport are fighting for equality with more vigour than ever, but are they breaking down the barriers that stand in their way? Sarah Shephard looks behind the headlines to see whether progress is really being made and tells the stories that can no longer be ignored. It's time for women to switch their focus from the battlefield to the sports field, once and for all.

This candid and revealing book asks the questions at the forefront of the debate about women in

· Why do the most successful female athletes earn less than their male counterparts?
· Why do so few elite sportswomen have the profile their talent deserves?
· Why are girls still growing up believing that sport is 'for boys'?

With contributions from women involved in sport at the highest level, including Chrissie Wellington, Maggie Alphonsi, Kelly Smith and Nicole Cooke, who reveal their personal experiences of being at the top of their game.

Genres: Nonfiction

305 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 7, 2016

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually teared up finishing this book because I was sad it was ending. Shephard discusses various issues in women's sport such as systemic inequities (sponsorship, funding, and prize/wage gaps), the significant participation gap between men and women and its impact, and the ways sport experiences can both negatively and positively affect self-image and confidence. This book describes each area in its own right and ties them all together in a way that powerfully illuminates the current structural barriers to gender equity, laced with poignant athlete interviews and stories throughout. I cannot recommend this book enough!

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

So
- the rules are made by the male federation
- the women have their own handicapped leagues
- with their own low standards
- at about 10-12 years of age, the individuals are segregated to put up with 6th century moral standards
- now that there are trans women, the exclusion is getting even stricter

So yea, women are ”changing” the game. One kitchen at a time.

[Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-researched look at the state of sport for women. Published in 2016 so it's interesting to see what has changed in the last 5 years.

Lacking in any analysis of intersectionality.