Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

Misogyny in Sport

16 September 2020 · 2 other contributors

Opened by Alex Davies-Jones Lab Pontypridd

Culture, Media & SportWomen & Equalities

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Alex Davies-Jones raised concerns about misogyny in sport in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • Concerns raised about sexism and harassment in wrestling, kit designed primarily for men, barriers to women's participation due to unequal funding, disparities in media coverage of sports stars based on gender, lack of female representation in coaching roles and governing bodies, and sexual abuse in wrestling highlighted by the Speaking Out movement.
  • Specific asks of government: not recorded
  • Minister's response acknowledged the importance of eradicating misogyny from sport and highlighted ongoing government initiatives to raise the profile of women's sport, including efforts to ensure public funding benefits women's sports activities.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Alex Davies-Jones Lab Pontypridd

Diolch, Madam Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to introduce my first Adjournment debate on misogyny in sport. I discussed issues like sexism and harassment in wrestling, kit designed primarily for men, barriers to women’s participation due to unequal funding and street harassment, disparities in media coverage of sports stars based on gender, lack of female representation in coaching roles and governing bodies, sexual abuse in wrestling highlighted by the Speaking Out movement, and inequalities in funding during the pandemic. I also praised local initiatives supporting women's sport and called for fair funding and consultation with the Chancellor to ensure that local authority spending does not impact sports facilities adversely.

Other contributors (2)
  • Mark Fletcher Lab Bolsover

    I thank the hon. Member for her debate, echoing her calls and highlighting the importance of equal opportunities in sport.

  • Stella Creasy Lab Walthamstow

    Paying tribute to the campaign to make misogyny a hate crime and supporting the need for better practices in sports clubs.

Government Response

Nigel Huddleston

I thank Alex Davies-Jones for her passionate debate. We agree on the importance of eradicating misogyny from sport. Women's sport has seen progress, with record audiences and sponsorship deals, but challenges persist in areas like media coverage, online abuse, and funding disparities due to the pandemic. The Government aims to raise the profile of women’s sport through initiatives such as 'This Girl Can' and by ensuring public funding benefits women's sports activities. We will continue working with governing bodies to protect investment in women's sport during the crisis.

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