We’ve come a long way when it comes to inclusivity in sport.
In 2021, women were finally able to participate in a multi-stage cycle grand tour equal to the Tour de France. News of a landmark update to the Boston marathon’s deferral policy made headlines recently as it allowed pregnant women to defer their place in the iconic race for the first time. And This Girl Can, by Sport England, has inspired almost 3 million more women to get active since its inception in 2015.
However, any woman will tell you that when it comes to equality in sport and physical activity, there is still a long way to go. Now, we have real data that demonstrates just how long this road could be.
According to research by This Girl Can, the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis have had a disproportionate impact on women. Meaning they have less to spend on weekly budgets and less time to spend on themselves. As a result, their activity levels have fallen and show little sign of recovery.
Their research shows that 2.4 million more men than women strongly agree that they enjoy sport and physical activity.
That’s 2.4 million women missing out on the opportunity to relieve stress, build connections and improve self-esteem. And they’re calling this the ‘enjoyment gap’.
