Gender Disparity and Invisible Attitudes towards Women and Men Athletes

Abstract

Sports are becoming increasingly important in Pakistani culture, with athletes from
both genders taking interest with different perspectives in sports. This study aims to
identify gender differences in attitudes and opinions about women and men athletes
based on their socio-demographic profiles. The cross-sectional survey was carried out
centered on quantitative research design, self-constructed and semi-structured
questionnaire. Data was collected via Google form, from 360 participants with age
range of above 18 years, selected through convenient sampling technique. Data was
analyzed through SPSS analysis of Independent sample T-test and descriptive statistics.
The findings showed notably different gender opinions due to biasness, when it came
to the participation and opportunities of both athletes in sports. Moreover, few of the
male respondents disagreed to almost all the statements that supported female
athletes’ participation in anyway. Female and male participants’ stance showed that
there is a lack of media coverage for female athletes, gender discrimination, cultural
barriers and more hurdles in the journey of women athletes as compared to men
athletes.