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The influence and power one receives as a result of a high position in society have not avoided sports. Even though sports have been thought to transcend social, racial, and gender differences, such thought is quite naïve and void of evidential support. Social class has been closely tied to sports involvement, including the types of sports in which individuals participate, their level of involvement, and the chances of being successful in the sport. Even though class plays a ubiquitous role in sports, there are complexities in the exploration of the issue, especially in terms of the impact of power and privilege in sports.
The social class represents a form of social stratification in which society members are classified according to a hierarchy that depends on various dimensions. Although they can vary from nation to nation, key dimensions include wealth, power and influence, social standing, and occupational prestige. Thus, there will be activities that are specific to certain social classes because of their influence and power. For instance, sailing has been among the sports catering to upper-class individuals because it takes place in upscale coastal areas and requires expensive equipment that is affordable to the representatives of a higher social class (Schmitt et al. Youre Sitting on a Hot Soccer Field 988). Thus, younger generations that engage in sailing sports are likely to be reproducing the practices of their parents within the context of their social class dominance (Schmitt et al. Youre Sitting on a Hot Soccer Field 988). Similarly, street skateboarding has been attributed to the lower social class, usually linked to the DIY culture, signifying that the skaters portrayed themselves as self-made (Atencio et al. 6). The philosophy of independence inherent to skateboarding presents it as a democratic sport that does not require expensive equipment and welcomes unique identities, styles, and practices (Atencio et al. 6). However, in instances of both sailing and skateboarding, masculine domination has been shown to cause social marginalization of females. The everyday micro-practices and power relationships occurring within the sports have positioned women as inferior skateboarders and sailors, which is a problematic takeaway.
Thus, besides the need to challenge the impact of social status and elitism within sports, it is also necessary to consider the problem of gender domination, and some steps in this direction have been made. For example, such skateboarding publications as Snow, Surf, and Skate Girl Magazine have been challenging the male domination agenda in skateboarding, showcasing success stories of women skaters and challenging the stereotypes that have formed around them (Atencio et al. 6). In the context of sailing, there has not been enough attention paid to the problem of masculine dominance within the sport (Schmitt et al. If Im Sailing with a Girl 4). Evidence strongly suggests that coaches, parents, and trainers have been unsuccessful in addressing the structurally reinforced gender norms.
To conclude, social class and standing do matter in sports, especially when it comes to the access of certain individuals to participating. There are some types of sports that are only accessible and affordable to the selected few, while there are also highly inclusive sports that do not discriminate based on social status. However, there is a challenge of exclusion of athletes based on gender, with sports pushing the masculinity agenda and failing to address the challenges that females face when trying to engage in them and develop their skills.
Works Cited
Atencio, M., et al. The Distinction of Risk: Urban Skateboarding, Street Habitus and the Construction of Hierarchical Gender Relations. Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise, vol. 1, no. 1, 2009, pp. 3-20.
Schmitt, A. et al. If Im Sailing with a Girl, I Get Identified as a Marshmallow : Gendered Practices of School Sport Sailing in Western France and California. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, vol. 0, no. 0, 2020, pp. 1-19.
. Youre Sitting on a Hot Soccer Field Drinking Gatorade&Im Sitting in a Yacht Club Just Enjoying the View, Enjoying the Drinks : Parental Reproduction of Social Class Through School Sport Sailing. European Physical Education Review, vol. 26, no. 4, 2020, pp. 987-1005.
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