Women’s softball league opening more doors for gender equality

Carilyn Pointer - The first women’s softball league has been created in Mexico. Considering this is a“region where men often have more opportunities than women, particularly in sports,” this is a big step. It is a move towards greater gender equality and more opportunities for women everywhere. The impact of the new league has spread far beyond that of the players and continues to spread.

Scale defines the geographic extent of the political actions we are looking at. Sports and politics are often interwoven, meaning giving women space on the field often equates to equality elsewhere. Understanding the concept of scale is important because it shows the interconnectedness of politics and helps us to see how each level is affected. Starting with the softball players, it is apparent the importance of the league in their lives. This new opportunity is altering the lives of these individuals by providing them with opportunities, funding, and housing. The next level after the individual, is the national scale, which already is being greatly impacted. Reports say that 13,408 people showed up for opening night and the new league continues to draw in more fans. The nation is starting to rally around these women because of the barriers they are breaking through and the role models they are becoming. The last scale is the global, which in a world with rising technology is becoming increasingly interconnected. This is evident in the fact that the creation of a sports team in Mexico is being televised on U.S. news platforms and gaining even more momentum.

As mentioned, creating more opportunities for women in sports extends into other arenas as well. It is a platform for them to influence rising generations, speak about political issues, and have an audience. The true scale of impact that an action has can never fully be assessed, but it is apparent that these women are pioneers, and are having a bigger impact than they are aware of.

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