Issues Of Gender Equality In Chinese Athletics:An Analysis Of Barriers To Female Grassroots Sports Participation In China

Equal opportunity for men and women in sports is an essential aspect of global gender equality.Since the 1980s,the success of China's female athletes has garnered significant international attention.These female athletes have steadily infiltrated global consciousness,giving the impression that Chinese sports are highly gender equal.In reality,while a high level of gender equality has been achieved in Chinese elite sports,this equality has not been reflected in its grassroots sports.Contrary to the praise and admiration Chinese elite female athletes have received from the Chinese public,at the grassroots level,Chinese girls continue to face unequal opportunities and discrimination in overall sports participation and especially in sports selection.Thus,this thesis seeks to answer the following question:Why does such a large gap exist between Chinese female elite sports and Chinese female grassroots sports?This thesis examines the political,economic,and social factors that have contributed to the creation and maintenance of this gap,finding that social factors have been the most influential.Using existing literature as well as data collected from 26 one-on-one interviews,I argue that social factors such as the influence of Confucianism in socializing Chinese girls to conform to traditional gender stereotypes,and expectations to adhere to conventional beauty standards have been the largest barriers in Chinese female grassroots sports participation.Chinese females who wish to participate in grassroots athletics are confined to sports that embody beauty,elegance,and grace,and are denied the opportunity to participate in sports that emphasize contact,aggression,and strength.As an issue that has been largely neglected in China,this research aims to draw attention to these inequalities,and offers recommendations for how to improve the situation.