4. According to the article, the team has been “a leading force in women’s sports for more than a generation.” What evidence does the author give to support this claim? How have the team’s activism and outspokenness inspired other women’s teams around the world?
5. How does the pay between players on the men’s and women’s national soccer teams differ? Why are direct comparisons in compensation complicated?
6. The article concludes with a quotation by Neena Chaudhry, the general counsel of the National Women’s Law Center in Washington:
These are the same kinds of arguments and claims that we still see at every level of education for women and girls, from K through 12 to college. It’s unfortunately a sad continuation of the way that women and girls in sports are treated in the U.S.
Do you agree? Do you think the United States soccer team’s case is part of a larger system of inequity?
Finally, tell us more about what you think:
— What is your reaction to the lawsuit? Do you think the team will win its case and why?
— Why does this lawsuit matter? Is this case just about soccer or is it bigger? Why should nonsports fans care? How will it make a difference to you?
— Should professional female athletes be paid the same as men? Does it matter if the ticket sales or television ratings in a given sport are higher for men than for women?
— Do people have a responsibility to watch and attend more women’s sporting events if they want women’s athletics to thrive? What suggestions do you have to make sure that female athletes get the respect they deserve in our society? Will you watch the United States women’s soccer team compete this summer in the World Cup?
— In a related article, “8 Times Women in Sports Fought for Equality,” Sarah Mervosh and Christina Caron profile other examples of women fighting for equality in sports. Look through the article and select one historical example you find most interesting or significant. Compare this example to the current efforts by the United States women’s soccer team. How are they similar and different? What lessons can we learn from these female athletes’ struggles?
— What are girls’ and boys’ athletics like at your school? Do female athletes receive equal treatment? What recommendations do you have to improve female athletic programs at your school?
Related Resources:
In Fight for Equality, U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Leads the Way
