Sexism in Football
Women are a part of football on every level, whether they are playing it, running it or presenting it. So why is sexual discrimination still a part of the game?
It wasn’t until the infamous incident involving Richard Keys and Andy Gray, then of Sky Sports, that the British public really took notice of sexism in football.
"Women’s football has come from the furthest point on the back foot"
The comments made about Sian Massey by the Sky Sport presenters shocked the general public, but Gabby Logan believes not everyone was as shocked: “People in football weren’t surprised, and people that worked in television weren’t surprised. What surprised us was how shocked people were outside of these industries and this gave us a jolt I think, as actually these things aren’t acceptable, this shouldn’t just be tolerated."
It wasn’t until the infamous incident involving Richard Keys and Andy Gray, then of Sky Sports, that the British public really took notice of sexism in football.
"Women’s football has come from the furthest point on the back foot"
The comments made about Sian Massey by the Sky Sport presenters shocked the general public, but Gabby Logan believes not everyone was as shocked: “People in football weren’t surprised, and people that worked in television weren’t surprised. What surprised us was how shocked people were outside of these industries and this gave us a jolt I think, as actually these things aren’t acceptable, this shouldn’t just be tolerated."
Will womens' football ever be as big as mens' football? Gabby Logan tells us more:
Gabby Logan has worked in and around football with great success for over 15 years, in which time she has presented Britain’s longest running football show Match of the Day, on many occasions.
“I think sexism in society is an on-going problem and I think football is in many ways an acute microcosm of society. Women’s football had a very flourishing period during the war because men weren’t playing football and loads of people went to watch women play football and then it got banned. If you ban a sport for 30 years or so its hard for it to flourish and grow. Women’s football has come from the furthest point on the back foot and has accelerated very quickly in the last few years.”
“I think sexism in society is an on-going problem and I think football is in many ways an acute microcosm of society. Women’s football had a very flourishing period during the war because men weren’t playing football and loads of people went to watch women play football and then it got banned. If you ban a sport for 30 years or so its hard for it to flourish and grow. Women’s football has come from the furthest point on the back foot and has accelerated very quickly in the last few years.”
Gabby Logans' BBC documentary 'Sexism in Football' - ©BBC