History is full of examples of women being excluded from activities and of their subsequent fight to participate. Allred’s (kinesiology, Tarleton State Univ.; Atta Girl!: A Celebration of Women in Sport) is a former professional athlete who won the first U.S. Women’s Bobsled Championship when she was more than four months pregnant. Her book focuses mainly on campaigns for equal opportunity in sports, but she also weaves in many of the other equality battles women fought at the same time. The book starts with the first recorded woman Olympian in 396 BC; she competed against men and won but was not allowed to participate in the trophy ceremony. The book covers many sports and the stories throughout the centuries of women who fought for the chance to compete. Allred includes discussions of the media’s sexualized depiction of women athletes, the male-centric focus of sports medicine and nutrition, the creation and evolution of Title IX, and the additional barriers faced by Black, Latina, Indigenous, lesbian, and transgender athletes. VERDICT A fascinating and thorough history of the fight for women’s rights told through the lens of sports. Will likely appeal to readers interested in sports history and gender studies.
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.


ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?