Gender woes in sport need well-off black women’s attention

I’VE written extensively, though not yet exhaustively, about the litany of struggles and battles faced by women in sport, especially the hardships facing working class and black girls, and women’s participation in sport.

Despite some assistance here and there from national and provincial government, sports federations don’t have healthy sports budgets to focus on girls and women’s participation in sport.

Sport officialdom know about the gender inequalities in society which impact on women’s participation and affect how women are able to be assisted to develop and achieve. Because sport in South Africa is male-controlled and influenced – women’s advancement and aspirations are heavily influenced by male control of the sports apparatus.

And this means that a feminist and gender-sensitive lens for analysis and support of women in sport is rarely employed to spotlight gender imbalances and eliminate inequalities.

I mention the gender inequalities in all of my writings about women and sport. I never tire of doing this because I believe passionately in eliminating the stranglehold which male control has on the sports network in South Africa.

Throughout my activism of the past decade, I have wanted elite and corporate women to not only speak out about the gender inequalities in sport, but to also support women in sport, with a particular focus on the marginalised, black and working-class sports girls and women.

I have wanted black professional women, the rich and elite corporate black women, to use their power to direct funding to sport to be used largely for the benefit of advancing black girls and women in sport.

But this social responsibility from them has not been forthcoming.

Then we hear of black South African businesswoman Wendy Luhabe’s appointment as an executive of the International Rugby Board. And I think, “but I have never heard you or seen you being quoted speaking out for black sportswomen”.

What makes a formerly oppressed black woman who has “made it” in democratic South Africa choose a largely male sport like rugby to give support and time to? What makes professional, moneyed black women sit on corporate and parastatal boards in their own country and watch these boards and companies give money to men’s sport, whilst ignoring women in sport?

How dare these black women be complicit in ensuring gender imbalances remain in sport and that black women remain traumatised and stressed because of their struggle to get sponsorship and funding?

I’m not attacking Luhabe. I’m calling out powerful, moneyed, corporate, elite black women about their silence and non-support of black girls and women in sport. Don’t the moneyed, rich black businesswomen ask why black sportswomen struggle in sport?

Why is athlete Caster Semenya seemingly the only achieving black sportswoman internationally? Can the women not come along and help support black girls and sportswomen?

Some black sportswomen are struggling after retirement from international sport; some are managing to set up foundations. However, most need support and help whilst participating and competing in sport. And then we see and approve of a black businesswoman’s appointment to an international sport federation and think, whilst congratulating her, “how could you bypass involvement in women’s sport in your own country?”.

Yes, I know the choices are personal, dependent on one’s own happiness and pursuit. But remember that gender inequalities are not chosen by black women: they are thrust upon them because of capitalist domination and patriarchal control.

And surely, black women, when they have achieved some power, can give back and assist to break the shackles and chains which strangle black women? I’m talking about black women and their much needed support of struggling black sports girls and women.