Newspapers, Wimbledon, & Women-The Message We Send to Girls and Young Women with the Placing of Events in Newspapers

           While it may not be politically correct I will admit I prefer most men’s sporting events over women’s events.  Faster, more powerful, often more graceful, the men’s events catch and hold my attention quicker and longer.  Yes, I realize that there are many women who could mop the floor with me if I was to enter into a competition with them, but my preference is what it is. 

With that being said I am appalled with the double standard that some newspapers, for me notably the Minneapolis Star Tribune, have with some of the major sporting events.  The day after the Wimbledon’s Women’s Final the Star Tribune reported it on the inside of the Sports section.  I think it was page four or five.  This is regardless of the fact that Wimbledon is probably the premier tennis event in the world, both of the finalists were ranked outside the top ten, and other aspects that would, a person would think, warrant a front page placing.

I could understand the editors burying the story if they were consistent.  After all tennis is a second or third tier sport that does not have a huge following.  Minneapolis, St Paul, and the rest of Minnesota are football, baseball, and hockey bastions.  Driving around towns you see many more empty tennis courts than you do basketball courts.

However, the Star Tribune, and I imagine other papers, are not consistent.  The day after the men’s final at Wimbledon the Star Tribune has a huge picture of one of the finalists and an article that starts on the front page of the Sports section.  Granted, this was the first time in decades an Englishman had won the tournament, and there were some interesting stories about the two finalists, but I have to wonder what makes the men’s stories and final so much more important and interesting that it deserves the first page of the sports page while the women’s finalists and final deserve a spot and headlines that may not be seen because people do not have time to look past the headlines on the front page, or they just think it is just not important because of its location and lack of pictures.

I understand the newspaper business is often driven by ratings just as the television stations are driven by ratings.  I also understand that many people are not necessarily into women’s sports that much.  I will admit twenty years ago I probably would not be writing this, but twenty years ago I did not have a daughter.  Even though I prefer to watch and read about men’s sports, I realize the need to try for parity in reporting on sporting events. 

By showing such obvious partiality to the men’s events I wonder how girls and young women process this if they are paying attention.  What I believe is happening is that a message is being sent that women in sports do not deserve the same attention as the men.  Does this then get processed into ideas that women do not deserve the attention they should get in relationships, work, community activities? 

One last thought before I go.  Theologically we need to remember that men and women were created in the image of God.  One is not better than the other.  We may be different, but that does not mean one gender is better than the other.  Little items like where stories are placed in the sports section seem to elevate one above the other.  While the focus of this article is on inequality in sports we can see it going the other way notably in the way men are treated on sitcoms, but that is an article for another time.