Unveiling Hegemonic Misogyny: Media Perceptions and the Fight for Equal Pay inWomen's Soccer

This is a research paper that I completed on a full-ride scholarship with Pioneer Academics under

the guidance of NYU Media Studies Professor Chyng Feng-Sun.

Abstract

Recently, media coverage and viewership of women’s sports have been rising. This rise has

exposed issues of gender inequality within sports. This is especially evident by the large pay

disparities between men’s and women’s sports. This article investigates the media portrayals and

societal perceptions of the fight to close the gender pay gap in sports, particularly focusing on the

U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) and their fight for equal compensation. I

examine the historical and contemporary contexts of women's sports, questioning the impact of

hegemonic masculinity and societal biases on public opinion. By analyzing social media

comments from Reddit, the paper identifies key themes such as economic arguments,

performance merit, and the villainization of the USWNT. Findings suggest that the social media

perception overwhelmingly reflects anti-equal pay sentiments, with these arguments reflecting

ingrained misogynistic views. The purpose of this study is to expose the hidden misogyny

embedded in popular views of women's sports and to promote a more fair approach to gender

equality in both athletic compensation and public attitudes.

Background information

Women’s sports have seen a significant increase in media coverage and attention in the

past year. The increased focus on athletes like Caitlin Clark in professional women’s basketball

and Coco Gauff in professional women’s tennis has boosted the popularity of women’s sports.

The average viewership of regular-season Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA)

games on ESPN networks grew from 440 thousand views in the 2023 season to 1.4 million for

the first five games of 2024 (Zhou, 2024). 2024 also marks the first year in women’s sports

history where the total revenue of the women’s sports industry is expected to surpass one billion

dollars (Smith, 2024). Rightfully so, media coverage of women’s sports has picked up, and fans

are becoming aware of the gender pay gap. On average, female basketball players make an

annual salary that is only 1.64% of the annual salary of a male player (Yang, 2023). This paper

serves as a response to growing media coverage of women’s sports that has sparked many

debates and discussions on social media about equal pay and treatment.

The media’s effect on social perception

The media, both mass/traditional media and social media, have transformed how society

perceives the world. The goal of the media is to deliver information and news at a fast rate. Most

people are reliant on the media to get all their news, opting out of traditional newspapers or

magazines. A study by Deloitte in 2023 shows that nine in ten sports fans who are considered

Gen Z “are using social media to consume sports-related content” (Giorgio et al., 2023).

Society’s sole reliance on the media gives media the power to control what stories and images

people are exposed to. By choosing what to highlight and how to present it, the media can make

certain topics seem more important while others get overlooked. Around gender, race, and class,

the media's influence can reinforce or break down stereotypes. This leaves consumers of the

media vulnerable to misinformation or the writer’s biases. For instance, the media can either

support gender bias by focusing more on men's sports or challenge the biases by giving women's

sports more attention. The way the media covers events and issues plays a key role in shaping

public opinions and cultural norms. Historically, mass media in sports has supported the

sexualization and objectification of women, which has shaped the way society sees women’s

sports today.

The gender pay gap in sports

Equal pay issues in sports are common. In many sports in the US, equal pay has been a

topic of discussion at least once, most notably in basketball and soccer. The pay gap between the

top American professional men’s basketball league, the National Basketball Association (NBA),

and the top women’s league, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), is

substantial, with an average pay gap disparity of $10,663,088 (Adelphi University, 2023). This

represents the largest average pay disparity by gender in professional sports, a recurring topic in

the media for the NBA and WNBA since 2015. This dispute in basketball is highly media-driven

and publicized, but legal action has never been taken unlike US women’s soccer. In soccer, the

FIFA Women's World Cup prize money was $370 million less than the prize money of the FIFA

Men’s World Cup (Hersch et al., 2023). Figures like these have sparked legal action from the

United States Women’s National Soccer Team, or USWNT. The case of the United States

Women’s National Soccer Team is one of few instances where campaigning for equal pay has

paid off, where $22 million in compensation was given to USWNT players for years of

undercompensation (Das, 2022).

Public Perception

However, public opinion always has varying opinions and a fair share of criticism

regarding immediate matters like the USWNT’s fight for equal pay. This paper aims to analyze

society’s perception of this matter. This paper provides background on the history of women’s

sports and the portrayal of female athletes in the media, explaining the injustice against women.

From there, significant events regarding gender equality in women’s soccer are examined. This is

followed by an analysis of social media threads regarding the Equal Pay Act of Women’s Soccer

from 2023. Examining the social perception of women’s sports, this analysis seeks to determine

the overall viewpoint of the media and its users. Specifically, this study is designed to collect the

opinions of men and women on their knowledge of the act and their general opinion on women’s

soccer. Through a lens of radical feminism, which argues that patriarchy is the root cause of

women’s subjugation, this paper seeks to answer the question: Does hegemonic misogyny exist

in media perception in relation to US soccer and specifically the Equal Pay Act of Women’s

Soccer from 2023?

What is hegemonic masculinity?

In topics of feminism, a hegemonic form of misogyny often exists. Hegemonic

masculinity is an idealized form of masculinity that society upholds and privileges, where men

are seen as a dominant position in society. This leads to the systemic gender oppression seen in

society. This can be a dangerous way to think, as it leads to our world where sexism and rape

culture are perpetuated. My goal is to challenge individuals to think beyond what is expected of

society and to actively construct radically new ways to approach sensitive topics of feminism and

equal rights.

History of Women’s Sports

Dating back to the origins of sports, ancient civilizations “utilized combat sports such as

nude boxing and wrestling to prepare men for war, [celebrating] male toughness and

bravery...and athletic proportion of male bodies as effective 'weapons' in combat (Nelson,

1994:19 as stated in Burnett, 2001, p. 72). Sports were created by men for men as a sign of

masculine empowerment. The masculine identity was a central part of sports in the ancient era,

focusing on skill, force, and athleticism (Burnett, 2001). In many of these ancient patriarchal

societies, clear boundaries about permissible behaviors, traits, and values regarding ‘masculinity’

and femininity exist. In these societies, 'the myth of frailty' has shaped ideas about women and

their participation in sports, leading to restrictions and the outright rejection of women's

involvement in athletic activities. (Theberge, 1985). Since the beginning of sports, women have

been kept out due to the patriarchal frame that not only limited but dissuaded women from

participating in sports.

Fast forward to the modern Olympic Games, first held in 1896 in Athens, Greece, the

Games were a long-lost tradition that was reborn to celebrate the athletic prowess the world had

to offer. During the 1896 Olympics in Athens, women were not allowed to participate. The next

Olympics allowed women to compete in five sports: croquet, equestrian, golf, sailing, and tennis.

Even so, there were only 22 women athletes who participated, which meant women were

represented by a meager 2.2% out of the 997 total competitors. Women’s soccer was not added

until 1996, a full 100 years after men’s soccer was allowed in the Olympics (Olympic Soccer |

History, Athletes & Notable Moments, n.d.). Since the Modern Olympics’ inception in 1896, the

2024 Paris Olympics represent the first Olympics where there is an equal number of women and

men competing, with a total of 128 years in between (International Olympic Committee, 2023).

Repeatedly in sports, women have been marginalized.

Perception of women’s sports

Ideological dominance is the main factor that gets in the way of people’s perception of

women’s sports. The hegemonic masculinity in our society or the practice that legitimizes men's

dominant position in society has shaped the way society views women and women’s sports.

Women, in turn, are seen as frail and are awarded for their heterosexualization (Burnett, 2001).

Women athletes are discouraged from playing their sports because societal expectations of frailty

for women are put into consideration. In a study conducted in an interdisciplinary seminar and

experiential learning sessions, college students of the seminar revealed that they are discouraged

by peers and even parents from participating in sports at a young age as “a woman with muscles,

[who demonstrates] strength, speed, and agility, is more consistent with traditional notions of

masculinity (Scott & Derry, 2005, p. 197). Society has taught women how they should behave to

act feminine.

Many times, women are belittled after their major achievements. Instead, they are valued

for the sexualization that they provide, especially seen through endorsements. The “more

attractive women athletes attract major endorsements and publicity,” while less attractive but

equally performing women athletes do not (Burnett, 2001, p. 73). In these major endorsements,

women are often sexually objectified in advertisements that feature them wearing lingerie in

postures nearly identical to those of actual models (Scott & Derry, 2005, p. 199). Print and

electronic media mostly cover men's sports, but when covering women’s sports, they “tend to

portray women athletes not in professional or sporting terms, but as 'sexy', 'mothers' or 'having a

feminine side'” (Burnett, 2001, p. 76). There are rules in place for what a woman should and

should be able to do. Therefore, when women decide to speak up, it breaks the social rule for

women to act feminine and reserved, as seen in the Equal Pay, Equal Work Movement of the

United States Women’s National Team.

Women’s equal pay issues

A main issue that keeps being brought up is the fight for equal pay. As early as 1870, a

bill in the United States was passed that prohibited pay discrimination based on gender. Over the

next few years, the bill was weakened in the Senate and rarely enforced, which was deemed to be

problematic as pay discrimination was clearly put into practice across the country during the

Second Industrial Revolution of 1870 to 1914. This was especially seen in industrialization and

mass production (Kelly, 2015). Over the ninety-three years that followed this bill, women’s

activist groups and labor rights organizations would advocate for equal pay. As World War II

came around, the number of women working increased due to a shortage of working men who

had enrolled in the military, which led to a dramatic rise in the number of women. The number of

women working in the United States increased from 10.8 million in March 1941 to more than 18

million in August 1944 (Miller, 1980, p. 42). As the number of working women increased, public

support for passing a new bill to combat equal pay discrimination also increased. After a long

and arduous fight, the Equal Pay Act of 1963 was passed, marking a significant achievement for

women's equality. This bill protected against wage discrimination based on sex, solidifying that

men and women in the same workplace must be paid the same for an equal amount of work.

However, employers and corporations began exploiting the vague language of the bill by finding

loopholes in its wording that were open to interpretation (Bailey et al., 2023). More bills were

passed to fill these gaps, most notably the Educational Amendment of 1972, most known as Title

IX, which prohibited sex-based discrimination on all accounts in any organization receiving

federal funding in the US (Hextrum & Sethi, 2021). These actions were critical steps toward the

fight for women’s equality. Still, equal pay in sports is scarcely seen, and a heavy debate on

social media has revealed the perception society has about women’s sports.

History of Women’s Soccer Pay Gap

In the US, women’s soccer has historically struggled to establish a stable professional

league, unlike the WNBA for women’s basketball or the LPGA for women’s golf. In the WNBA

and LPGA, women athletes are provided consistent platforms to compete at a high level. In

contrast, women’s soccer athletes have seen the rise and fall of multiple professional leagues,

often due to financial instability and insufficient support from their governing bodies. The

recognized professional women’s soccer league in the US is the National Women's Soccer

League, or NWSL, which was not established until 2012. Therefore, the instability in leagues has

made it hard for women soccer athletes to negotiate for higher pay. The pay gap between the top

American professional men’s soccer league, Major League Soccer (MLS), and the top women’s

league, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), is substantial, with the men’s league

making an average annual salary that is $417,298 greater than the women’s salary (Adelphi

University, 2023). However, the United States Women’s National Team has been a steady

organization that has allowed further progression in discussions about equal pay.

What is the United States Women’s National Soccer Team?

The United States Women’s National Soccer Team, governed by the United States Soccer

Federation, is a soccer team that represents the United States in international women’s soccer,

like the Women’s World Cup and the Olympics. It is the most successful women’s soccer team in

terms of achievements, winning four World Cup medals and four Olympic medals as of 2024.

They have only lost twice in the Olympics, winning silver in 2000 and bronze in 2020. Due to

their success and dominance, the conversation began brewing about the treatment of women

athletes compared to their male counterparts.

History of Legal Argument

Historically, there has been a significant pay discrepancy between the U.S. Women’s

National Team (USWNT) and the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT), with the women

consistently earning much less each year. As of 2016, the men's and women's national teams had

contract requirements to play 20 exhibition matches. However, that year, the women's team only

had the potential to earn up to $99,000 if they won all 20 games, while the men had the potential

to earn up to $263,320 if they won all 20 games. In addition to these exhibition matches, the teams play in the FIFA World Cup, a tournament that occurs every four years and is known as

the most prestigious honor to win in all of international soccer. The FIFA World Cup is also the

most watched and followed sporting event in the world. The men’s and women’s teams both play

in the FIFA tournament in four-year intervals but in different years. For example, the women’s

team played in 2015 and 2019 and the men’s team played in 2014 and 2018. While the first-place

finisher of the women’s tournament would get an average bonus of $75,000 per player, the

first-place finisher of the men’s tournament would get an average bonus of $390,625 per player.

In 2015, frustration from the women’s side began to grow when the women's team earned $2

million for winning the 2015 World Cup while the men's team earned $9 million when they were

eliminated before the round of 16 in 2015, meaning they finished out of the top 16 teams

(Yourish et al., 2016). The women’s team earned $7 million less for finishing in the highest

position possible in their tournament, which caused frustration to grow.

The Equal Pay, Equal Work Movement from 2016-2023 was a movement by USWNT

players who took a stand against the unequal treatment and pay they received compared to male

athletes. This fight for equal treatment and pay (named the Equal Work, Equal Pay Movement)

officially began in 2016, when five members of the USWNT—Alex Morgan, Hope Solo, Carli

Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe, and Becky Sauerbrunn—filed a complaint with the Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission against their governing organization, the United States Soccer

Federation (USSF), for workplace discrimination. They claimed that the Soccer Federation’s

salary structures violated the Equal Pay Act, citing that female players earned 30% less than

similarly situated men. In 2017, the national team negotiated and agreed to a contract with the

federation that increased bonuses, guaranteed a base salary, and addressed concerns about equal

conditions/treatment. Followers of the situation believed everything was settled.

Then in March 2019, the USWNT filed a class action lawsuit against the USSF on

International Women’s Day. They cited violations of the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil

Rights Act, insisting that even after the agreement, the women were paid less for an equivalent

amount of work and success to the men. They cited that the men's team was awarded $35 million

by FIFA when they won the FIFA Men’s World Cup of 2014, while they only received 5% of

that in their World Cup victory in 2015. At this point, many television media and social media

users were outraged that the women’s team agreed to a contract just two years earlier but were

now suing, exhibiting characteristics of selfishness and trying to rescind an agreement. Megan

Rapinone, a leader for the equal pay campaign and a member of the USWNT, went on television

to clarify that, saying that “[the USWNT] negotiated the best deal [they] were offered,” but it

was not equal pay which they wanted, so they kept fighting (CBS Mornings, 2020). In 2022, the

USWNT and USSF finalized a settlement outside of court that agreed to give over $22 million in

compensation to USWNT players for years of undercompensation and guaranteed equal pay for

the women’s and men’s teams. It was a landmark agreement that has been viewed as

transformative for women’s sports (Das, 2022).

Methods

This paper sought to determine the media and social perception regarding the USWNT’s

fight for equal pay and treatment. To test expectations, a set of data was collected. This set of

data relied on 40 comments from four posts on Reddit, an online social media forum with

approximately 500 million users where they share and discuss news stories and other content. It

is a platform that emphasizes user engagement and commenting, encouraging users to give their

opinions. In addition, Reddit is an app commonly mentioned as used to push “progressive,

antiracist satirists to advance a decidedly white supremacist, anti-Semitic, misogynist, and deadly

serious agenda” (Greene, 2019, p. 31). The use of Reddit gives a comprehensive perspective on

the diverse and often polarized opinions present in online discussions.

To identify comments for the data set, Reddit’s database was searched using the term

“USWNT soccer equal pay.” From the steps mentioned below, I limited the results to four of the

most popular posts that were relevant to the topic of the USWNT’s contractual disputes.

1) Go to Reddit.com. I have made sure it is not logged into an account and cleared

all browser history and cache to ensure no algorithmic biases.

2) In the search bar, I typed in “USWNT soccer equal pay” and set the search to

posts (instead of the other options, communities, comments, media, and people)

and for all-time (instead of past year, month, week, and hour).

3) I set the results sorted to relevant posts (meaning they would be most relevant to

my search entry, “USWNT Soccer Equal Pay”), taking the first 50 search results.

4) Taking an additional step, I reviewed these posts to see if they were in fact

relevant, as the Reddit Relevance Detector was not always accurate. If the post

was not relevant, the post was excluded from the study.

5) To filter down to four posts, I came up with an objective measure for popularity:

On a post, the sum of the total upvotes (Reddit’s term for likes) and comments

would be the numerical value of its popularity. The higher the value, the more

popular the post.

From these four posts, I recorded the 10 most upvoted comments from each of the four posts into

my data set, meaning I had 40 total comments in my data set.

To determine whether these comments reflected misogynistic views, I analyzed the comments

for common themes. To do this, I read each comment carefully, hand-coding them for a main argument, with extra care in making sure that the context of their respective posts was not lost in

the process.

Results

From the 40 comments that were collected, I identified eight major themes that these

comments fell into: The first and most popular theme was “Contractual Choices,” garnering

14,107 of the approximately 35,000 total upvotes. These comments focused on the fact that the

USWNT had a choice in their previous contract negotiations. Their decision to prioritize

guaranteed pay and benefits over performance-based pay led to their current dissatisfaction.

Users who commented on this say that the USWNT is to blame for their situation, should stop

complaining, and were in the wrong for suing.

The second most popular theme was “Economic Arguments,” with 7,906 upvotes. The

argument for the comments under this theme focused on the financial aspect of the sport,

especially in how much revenue they generate, the profitability of the league or the sport, and the

economic impact that they had. Comments emphasized the popularity and audience engagement

in sports, including how many people view the sport, the size of the fan base, and how much

public interest goes into women's sports rather than men's sports. These comments mostly argued

that the pay gap is justified because of the differences in revenue, sponsorships, and ticket sales.

Lower viewership justifies the lower pay and equal pay is not economically viable.

The third most popular theme was “Perceived Women’s Benefits,” which received 7872

total upvotes. Comments on this theme argued the fact that in the past few years, women soccer

athletes had earned more and received better benefits compared to men. These comments

focused on the short-term outcomes where women may have received more due to better

performance, ignoring the broader context of unequal pay structures.

With a mere 2,433 upvotes, the theme of “Gender Equality” was the only theme that

was pro-equal pay. This theme argued for the principle of fairness and equality when

compensating athletes regardless of their gender. Typically, users that commented in this

category advocated for equal pay based on the idea of gender equality and social justice, making

sure to highlight the societal and cultural importance of treating female athletes equally as men

athletes. It often went beyond just the numerical value and saw equal treatment as a symbol of

equality. Some of the keywords found in this theme were fairness, equal pay, and discrimination.

Another prominent theme was “Villainizing the Women’s Team”, which garnered a

total of 2,088 upvotes. This theme portrays the women athletes as greedy and manipulative to try

to get as much money as possible. The women’s team is depicted as being dissatisfied despite

getting what they initially asked and accused of leveraging public opinion to vilify others to get

what they want. This narrative frames the women’s team as exploiting the situation rather than

being legitimate advocates for gender equality in sports.

With 468 votes, the theme of "Performance Merit" emerged. This theme encompasses

comments that advocate for the idea that pay in women's soccer should be determined by athletic

performance and skill level. These comments often compare the performance, competitiveness,

and skill of female athletes to male athletes, arguing that athletic performance should dictate

compensation. Some rather extreme comments argue that men are biologically superior in sports

and athleticism, so they should be paid more as the best should be paid the best. Oftentimes, a

story about the USWNT being beaten by a 15-under soccer club is mentioned. The keywords that

are found in this theme include biology, athletic ability, talent, and merit-based pay.

The last two themes with a combined 407 upvotes were “Misogyny/Dismissive

Remarks” and “Comparisons to Other Industries.” The “Misogyny/Dismissive Remarks”

theme contained comments that were explicitly ignorant or dismissive of the USWNT’s fight for

equal pay. They reflected underlying biases or sexist attitudes against women, suggesting that

efforts to address gender inequality in sports are unnecessary. The “Comparisons to Other

Industries” theme compared the pay gap in sports to other industries where pay disparities exist

but are widely accepted. These comments often aim to undermine the argument for equal pay in

sports by pointing out perceived double standards in other fields.

These themes fall into three different categories: pro-equal pay, anti-equal pay, and both.

As few comments campaigned for gender equality, I have put all pro-equal pay comments under

gender equality for clarity. Therefore, the themes of contractual choices, economic/revenue

arguments, perceived women’s benefits, villainizing the women's team, merit/performance-based

pay, misogyny/dismissive remarks, and comparisons to other industries fall under anti-equal pay.

32,848 upvotes were given to comments that were anti-equal pay, while 2,433 upvotes were

given to comments that were pro-equal pay. The two most popular themes from this data were

contractual choices and economic arguments, both of which are anti-equal pay.

Discussion

The most popular theme by a far margin of upvotes was contractual choices which

reflects the hegemonic misogyny in society because it overlooks the critical context in which

these decisions were made. Users who support this theme argue that two years before the

class-action lawsuit in 2019, USWNT players negotiated and settled on a contract after

complaints about equal pay. The players knowingly chose to prioritize guaranteed salaries and

benefits over performance-based pay in their contracts. They suggest that the players are

responsible for their own dissatisfaction and should not complain or seek legal action, as they

agreed to these terms voluntarily. However, Megan Rapinone, a leader for the equal pay

campaign and a member of the USWNT, went on television to clarify that “[the USWNT]

negotiated the best deal [they] were offered,” but it was not equal pay which they wanted, so they

kept fighting (CBS Mornings, 2020). This was an issue of unequal bargaining power which has

been oversimplified by social media users as a matter of choice. Historically, women's soccer has

been far less stable and less financially secure than men's soccer. Unlike their male counterparts,

who have the backing of a well-established and lucrative league, guaranteed pay was not just a

preference but a necessity for the USWNT to ensure financial security in a landscape where

professional opportunities were limited. In the top professional US women’s soccer league, a

player makes an average salary of $60,000 a year compared to $471,279 in the men’s league

(Adelphi University, 2023). This decision reflects a larger inequality in the sports industry, where

women have had to make compromises that men in similar positions do not face. Therefore,

blaming the USWNT for choosing these contracts ignores the systemic inequities that influenced

their choices in the first place. Users refuse to look deeper into the crucial context, or the choice

to ignore it, reveals a disregard for the barriers women face and a reluctance to admit and face

the hegemonic misogyny that exists in society. Receiving over 14,000 of the total 35,281 upvotes, this theme reflects the reality that much of society may still hold biased attitudes toward

gender equality in sports.

Under the theme of economic arguments, users comment on the financial aspects of

women's soccer, often arguing that the revenue generated by women's soccer is not sufficient to

justify equal pay to men’s sports. This includes how many people view the sport, the size of the

fan base, and how much public interest goes into women's sports rather than men's sports.

Essentially, lower viewership justifies the lower pay. However, this argument overlooks the

historical context: women’s soccer was not included as an Olympic sport until 1996, a full 100

years after the inception of the Modern Olympic Games and men’s soccer. This means that the

men’s team had a 128-year head start in building a following and establishing a financial base.

This significant head start has shifted the way society looks at sports. Despite the late start,

women’s soccer is rapidly gaining popularity. For example, “14.3 million U.S. viewers tuned in

to [the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final], compared to 11.4 million for the 2018 Men’s

World Cup Final, a 22% U.S. viewership boost” (Hess, 2019). Additionally, women’s soccer is

now beginning to build a strong following, with its viewership growth “outpacing every other

sport in America” (Boone, 2023). This theme displays ignorance toward how women’s sports

have been marginalized for decades, which in turn affects public interest and financial returns.

The argument that lower pay is justified by lower viewership fails to acknowledge that women’s

sports, when given equal opportunity and visibility, can attract significant audiences, as

demonstrated by the impressive viewership of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. This

argument’s narrow focus on current revenue and viewership figures ignores the systemic barriers

that have long suppressed the growth of women’s sports, allowing these biased arguments to

deceptively justify ongoing pay disparities. Using economic metrics without acknowledging the

historical disadvantages women’s sports have faced upholds gender inequality in sports and

reveals ingrained misogyny where users fail to consider other critical aspects when presenting a

misleading argument. Additionally, these comments are an assumption that the women’s soccer

team does not generate as much revenue as the men’s team. In fact, "after winning the World

Cup in 2015, the US women's football team generated a profit of $6.6 million compared to the $2

million profit generated by the men's team in the same year" (Archer & Prange, 2019, p. 423).

This statistic directly contradicts what this user is arguing. This assumption reflects a hegemonic

form of masculinity where gender bias has led users to the assumption that women do not make

as much as men in soccer. The high engagement with these comments suggests that many

internalize these hegemonic ideals without examining their underlying assumptions.

Conclusion

The media’s portrayal of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team’s (USWNT) fight for equal

pay reveals how deeply rooted misogyny is in how women’s sports are viewed. Common

arguments against equal pay like contractual choices, revenue, or merit-based pay ignore the

bigger picture. The line of reasoning for these arguments contains long-standing biases that have

favored men’s sports while undervaluing the hard work and achievements of female athletes.

They oversimplify the issue and don’t take into account the historical challenges that have

limited opportunities for women in sports. The media perception of women’s sports reflects a

misogyny that has long been reinforced by the patriarchal society, so much so that they are

normalized. It is only through critical examination that we can uncover the flaws and gaps in

these arguments. These old and outdated hegemonic ideals continue to influence public opinion

today and exasperate these beliefs. In order to work toward a future where women are fairly

recognized and rewarded for their contributions, we must reject the current patriarchy. We must

reconstruct our social perception and thinking to challenge the deeply rooted biases. To move

forward, it is essential to advocate for a more equitable approach that acknowledges and rewards

the contributions of women in sports on par with their male counterparts. Without a doubt, our

conscious efforts to reject patriarchal ideas when approaching sensitive topics of feminism and

equal rights would help undermine the patriarchal structure. Once this is done, it would be a

major intervention in the effort to create a misogyny-free society, a society free of sexist

oppression, exploitation, and rape.