FEMINISM IN MODERN OLYMPICS
A visualized history of the four main feminist waves throughout the modern Olympic games.
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FIRST-WAVE FEMINISM
late 19th century - 1945
WOMEN STARTED TO FIGHT FOR RIGHT TO VOTE
The late 19th century is primarily characterized by the women’s suffrage movement and their championing of the woman’s right to vote. In 1893, New Zealand became the first sovereign state giving women the right to vote, followed by Australia in 1902 and Finland in 1906.
Image: Seneca Falls Convention was the first women’s rights convention in the United States.
INTRODUCTION
Sports play a giant role in contemporary society worldwide. Ever since its inception in 1896, the Olympic games have been considered to be the highest stage for athletes and sportspersons. However, the games have a long and painful history of feminism and discriminatory behavior.
This webpage is trying to use visualized data about women in Olympics games to explore and present insights regarding politics, race, sex, culture, and commercialization of the last century.
Number of Female Athletes in Summer Olympics by Year
1848
The Seneca Falls Convention was the first women’s rights convention in the United States. The meeting launched the women’s suffrage movement, which more than seven decades later ensured women the right to vote.
1896
No female athletes attended the first modern Olympic games.
1900
First female Olympics champion.
Hélène de Pourtalès of Switzerland
Sailing event, May 22, 1900 Paris.
1924
However, it was still illegal for women to participate in the Olympics until 1924, when the International Olympic Committee officially agreed to female athletes participating in the Olympics.
After 1900
Since the first women’s participation in a sports meeting in 1900, female athletes have gradually increased.
1928
From 1924 to 1928, the number of female athletes has doubled.
When women were fighting for their right to work, the Olympics games opened more sports events for female athletes. More women were given the chance to become professional athletes.
1960-1988
Going into detail, more sports typically recognized as 'strength-related' such as rowing, cycling, and basketball have opened to female athletes.
During the first wave, there was some negative increase in the proportion of female athletes. Entering the second wave, the rate of growth in the proportion has remained a steady positive increase.
1960-1988
1960-1988
Between the first and second waves, the United States experienced the Great Depression, World War II, and the economic boom following the war.
BETWEEN
TWO
WAVES
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SECOND-WAVE FEMINISM
1960S TO THE 1990
WOMEN BEGAN TO ENTER THE WORKPLACE
Women began to enter the workplace in greater numbers following the Great Depression, when many male breadwinners lost their jobs, forcing women to find “women’s work” in lower-paying but more stable careers.
Image: A large group of women working on sewing machines, circa 1937.
During the first wave, although women started to participate in the Olympics, there was still a big gap between the proportion of female and male athletes.
UNTIL 1945
The first wave mainly occurred in Western countries, and the countries that sent female athletes were all Western countries as well.
UNTIL 1945
First women’s only sports in Olympics: Rhythmic Gymnastic and Synchronized Swimming.
1984
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THIRD-WAVE FEMINISM
1990S TO 2010
FEMINISM & DIVERSITY
Emerged from the mid-1990’s, the third wavers sought to redefine feminism and sought to celebrate differences across race, class, and sexual orientations.
This movement was a stark departure from the second wave and the development of intersectionality began to take form.
Image: A large group of women working on sewing machines, circa 1937.
1900
First Olympic game that included female athletes.
The third wave has witnessed a rapid growth in the number of female athletes.
1989
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FOURTH-WAVE FEMINISM
2010S TO PRESENT
GENDER EQUALITY INSTEAD OF FEMINISM
The generation now coming of age sees that we face serious problems because of the way society genders and is gendered, and we need a strong “in-your-face” word to combat those problems. Feminism no longer just refers to the struggles of women; it is a clarion call for gender equity.
Image: Fight for gender equality and protection of the women worldwide.
BETWEEN
TWO
WAVES
Tarana began using the phrase "Me Too" in 2006 to raise awareness of women who had been abused.
#Metoo movement marked the beginning of the fourth wave of feminism.
Since 2012, there were no more men-only sports existed in the Olympics.
2012
New Zealand became the first country in the world where women obtained the right to vote politically, marking an epoch-making achievement for the feminist movement.
1894
Whereas the first wave of feminism was generally propelled by middle-class, Western, cisgender, white women, the second phase drew in women of color and developing nations.
UNTIL 1988
CREDITS
Some male sports that existed a long time ago began to involve women, such as wrestling, weightlifting and water polo.
2010S
IN CONCLUSION
Narrowing gap,
Expectable future
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Tokyo 2020 was the first-ever gender-balanced Olympic Games in history. Almost 49% of the participating athletes were female.
In Tokyo, 90% of sports have become gender-balanced with an equal number of female and male athletes.
2020
2020
2020
Gender equality in IOC Commissions
