In 2024 I think (and sincerely hope!) that we will see continued momentum of girls engaging & with sport and boys' growing interest in women’s sport rather than because of the adult world which is lagging behind.
In the UK there are repeated attempts to diminish women in soccer, particularly highly successful ones. Piers Morgan querying what England & Man Utd goalie Mary Earps had done to deserve winning Sports Personality of the Year, Joey Barton comparing female commentators to the mass murderers Fred & Rosemary West. And as I write, Fran Kirby, one of English soccer’s most decorated female players – has felt the need to highlight the body shaming that she and other female athletes are subject to.
So how come the optimism? There are several reasons, rooted in the reality of Gen Alpha’s world, to be so positive.
1. At Beano Brain we’ve seen & heard an increasing number of boys AND girls having a far more diverse range of sporting idols than ever before. They talk about icons such as Earps, Megan Rapinoe, and Sam Kerr in the same breath as Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo & Vinicius Junior.
2. Cool Brands such as EA Sports FC 24 have read the younger gaming demographic room well and integrated women & men’s players into their massively successful and influential game.
3. Gen Alpha actively rebel against gender mattering (2/3 think it doesn’t) and their tendency to call out inappropriate bias and comments from adults, including sexism
4. Iconic stadia including the Camp Nou & Wembley are hosting sell out women’s matches, with a far bigger proportion of kids in attendance than at men’s games.
5. And finally, 2024 contains more opportunities for female athletes to build huge profiles and inspire Gen Alpha, irrespective of their gender. At the Paris Olympics, Sky Brown will be competing in both skateboarding & surfing for Team GB (her 2nd Games, at age 16!) and for Team USA peerless Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast of all time, is planning to compete once again.
The misogyny we’ve witnessed in recent months isn’t something we recognise in Gen A. Indeed, it seems a precursor of real change because what we see on a daily basis are boys celebrating and supporting female achievement and with that allyship I think the future is bright.
Written by Pete Maginn, Beano Brain.