23 Nov Breaking the Silence: Ending Sexual Harassment and Abuse in Sports Culture
From 12:30 PM until 1:30 PM ET
Presented by PowHer New York and co-sponsored by UN Women USA / info@powherny.org
While women’s participation in amateur and professional sports has grown exponentially in the past decades, the standing of female athletes and teams has not risen accordingly. That is due substantially to a sports culture dominated by patriarchy and traditional masculinity, defined by power and control. This lends itself to creating a culture of sexual harassment and abuse. This event is hosted by PowHer New York and co-sponsored by UN Women USA in recognition of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
As greater opportunities for women in sports do emerge, progress is challenged by unexamined gender norms, inequity, unequal pay, sexual harassment and abuse that permeates all levels of sports culture. Silence by those in power—coaches, administrators, parents—creates a haven for perpetrators of this harmful culture.
This event will feature:
- Don McPherson: Author of You Throw Like a Girl: The Blind Spot of Masculinity and former National Football League and Canadian Football League quarterback
- D’Ann Keller: Senior Associate Athletic Director for Sports Administration and Senior Woman Administrator, University of Buffalo
- Karen King, PhD: Commissioner of Public Advocacy, Erie County and Executive Director, Erie County Commissioner on the Status of Women (moderator)
This event will focus on the sports pipeline: how negative aspects of sports culture begin at an early age and how they are perpetuated by ambition, patriarchy, and misogyny. It will explore how close relationships between coaches, staff and athletes can sustain gender inequity at every level moving forward from middle school, high school, college and all the way to the professional level. This discussion will focus on how we can eradicate the harmful practices of sports culture through changes to cultural systems and institutions.