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Fighting to Play… …and Playing to Win The gender-equality-in- sports discussion isn’t exactly new. But an army of fierce female athletes is creating—in fact, demanding— change like we’ve never seen. And when they score, all women come out on top. By Jenny Everett Photographed by Dan Forbes PROP STYLING: DOMINIQUEPROP BAYNES JULY/AUGUST 2019 WOMEN’ S HEALTH / 61 “A record 43 percent of all ath- letes are women, and we’re seeing a major shift in sporting brands get- went viral. Nassar went to prison ting behind them and putting their for the rest of his life. money where their mouth is,” says “It was very triggering in the mo- Nicole M. LaVoi, PhD, director of ment—emotionally and physically the Tucker Center for Research on thirty-six draining. But at the same time, I had Girls & Women in Sport. percent this feeling of not being alone,” Rais- But there’s still a lack of visibility. more girls partici- man says. “I knew I was part of this pate in high school army of survivors, this sisterhood of Women’s sports receive only 2 to 4 sports than in percent of media coverage. It’s part 1972. That’s awe- women who are so strong and brave. some, but there It was bigger than me.” What started as a whisper (psst, of the reason girls are two to three are still 14 percent Since then, the 25-year-old has we’re kicking ass, see?) and grew times more likely than boys to drop more boys than channeled her strength into advoca- into a bewildered buzz (uh, anyone out of sports between 8th and 12th girls playing. W There’s a similar cy: She’s supporting legislation that Wnoticed we’re getting paid less than grade, per research from the Wom- gap in the NCAA. would help bring justice for more the men?) and then an exasperated en’s Sports Foundation (WSF). Source: Women’s Sports Foundation than 400 survivors who have accused WTF is now officially an all-out Publicity provides “role models a USC gynecologist of sexually as- roar. Female athletes are done ask- for young girls—they want to be the saulting them; she funded the #Flip ing nicely for the equality they were next Abby Wambach, the next Alex TheSwitch campaign with Darkness promised nearly 50 years ago when Morgan,” says Sarah J. Axelson, to Light, a nonprofit that empowers Title IX became the law of the land. senior director of advocacy at adults to prevent child sexual abuse; And it’s working. WSF. “You have to see it to be it, to 1972 and she’s part of York Athletics’ new We’ve recently seen the U.S. understand that opportunity is Worth the Fight campaign. Women’s National Hockey Team out there for you.” “Whether you’re a parent or a and the U.S. women’s national soc- Now, a class of women is not only coach, if you’re an adult stepping into any sport with children, you cer team demand equal compensa- stepping up to show kids what they should be educated on how to pre- tion and resources. Serena Williams can be, but using their platforms to 2018 A new day is vent verbal abuse, physical abuse, proved that motherhood doesn’t fight for a better experience by the GIRLS here, thanks BOYS to athletes emotional abuse, and sexual abuse,” mean she’s out of the game (eye roll time those girls set foot on the play- like Raisman. says Raisman. “I have not seen USA that this is still a thing). Mean- ing field. As athletes like Olympic Gymnastics ensure that coaches while, Venus Williams fought for gymnast Aly Raisman, champion and staff are taught that, and to me, equal pay for women in Grand Slam marathoner Allie Kieffer, and two- it’s a no-brainer.” titles. Adidas guaranteed its win- time Olympic soccer gold medalist While her career as a pro gymnast ning female athletes would get bo- Wambach continue raising their may be in the past (fun fact: boxing is nuses equal to the men’s at this voices, their messages are empow- her favorite workout right now), Rais- summer’s World Cup. CBS just ering other women to speak up, man is outspoken about her hopes signed a landmark deal to cover the creating a powerful movement that for the future for women’s sports, WNBA. Notre Dame women’s can’t simply be stopped. which include more coverage and basketball coach Muffet McGraw “We’re in a moment right USING HER THE LAST TIME we saw Aly Raisman Less than two years later, she was less focus on physical appearance. in the gymnastics arena was at the in a courtroom face to face with Larry And no matter what, Raisman announced she’ll hire only female now for women in general,” says 2016 Olympics, where she com- Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics says she’ll keep telling her story. coaches (and we’ve seen the first Wambach, who authored the recent pleted a stunning floor routine, then team doctor who reportedly abused “Things are slowly changing because female NBA and NFL coaches). Wolfpack: How to Come Together, Voice burst into tears, knowing she had more than 250 female athletes. For female athletes are speaking up, and Pay was equalized for female surf- Unleash Our Power, and Change avenged her loss of an all-around 12 minutes, Raisman stood mere feet that’s so important,” she says. ers in the World Surf League. The the Game. “And I think equality ALY RAISMAN IS ONCE medal four years earlier. In that mo- from her abuser and spoke her truth. “Gymnastics is very different now Aurora Games, a first-of-its-kind, in sports plays a really important AGAIN GOING TO THE ment, the little girl who’d grown up She told him that the women and girls from when I was watching the 1996 world-class all-women competition role in the greater conversation MAT—THIS TIME TO watching the 1996 Olympics on VHS he assaulted are a force and that he is Olympics, but we still have a long and festival, debuts August 20. The about equality for all women.” FIGHT FOR SURVIVORS had won her battle. But her real nothing—that the power had shifted. way to go. We just have to keep list goes on. We couldn’t agree more. OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. HEYER MALLORY BY ILLUSTRATIONS fight was just beginning. Raisman’s raw, emotional statement sharing our truth.” 62 / WOMEN’ S HEALTH JULY/AUGUST 2019 THE ONE MAKING WAVES FOR MOMS ALYSIA MONTAÑO, 33, SIX-TIME USA TRACK AND FIELD MIDDLE-DISTANCE CHAMPION When Alysia Montaño recently called out apparel brands like Nike for not providing maternity leave and “pausing” sponsorship pay for pregnant ath- letes, companies took notice. “Men in the industry come up with all Equal pay of these reasons on the field why we can’t be a may lead to mom and an ath- equal pay lete: no time, too everywhere. many distrac- tions. It’s insane.” Proof of that ridic- ulousness: Mon- taño won national championship titles at 6 and 10 months postpar- MOVING tum. Now, thanks to her words, Nike, Brooks, Forward Burton, and Nuun have stated ABBY WAMBACH WHEN ABBY WAMBACH cocap- And I had to figure out how I was they’ll amend FEELS THE USWNT tained the U.S. Women’s National going to pay my mortgage.” The their sponsor con- tracts to better LAWSUIT COULD Team to World Cup victory in 2015, idea that winning will make you support mothers. HAVE A DOMINO the soccer player solidified her rich, no matter your sport or gender, “I have two kids EFFECT ON ALL iconic status. She retired soon after is a huge misconception, says watching me WOMEN’S RIGHTS and found herself standing on stag- the 39-year-old. now,” she says. es with other renowned athletes, of- Last year, she gave a commence- “I’m here to fight ten men. And that’s when it hit her. ment speech at Barnard College that for them.” “Here I am, walking into retirement, became a viral hit and an instant getting the same awards as Kobe rallying cry for women fighting for and Peyton, and I’m slapped in the gender equality in all areas of life, face with reality,” says the two-time including sports. So you can bet she Olympic gold medalist. was damn proud when, this spring, “For most male athletes who just three months before the World reach the level I did, their biggest Cup, 28 members of the United worry is trying to figure out how States women’s soccer team filed they’re going to invest their money. a gender-discrimination lawsuit 64 / WOMEN’ S HEALTH JULY/AUGUST 2019 The New Olympic Hopeful KYRA CONDIE, 23, PRO CLIMBER These days it feels as if you can’t throw a rock without hitting, well, a climbing gym. Next year the booming sport will make its Olympic debut, highlighting the female climbers who have quiet- Women ly been on the rise. (In the climbers will be on the past few years there has Olympic been an explosion in stage very soon. women’s-only climbing clubs, vacation packages, clinics, and climbing fes- tivals, like those offered by Flash Foxy.) “One thing I love about climb- ing is that you can never tell by looking at some- one who will be the better climber,” says Kyra Con die, who did her first stating that not only their pay, but and the move even more coura- climb at a birthday party also their fields, their coaching, geous, says Wambach.

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