CHENNAI: Young minds curious and impressionable are cultivated on the narratives fed to them by society. Girls and boys are sorted into boxes of what is deemed to be fitting for them. Sports, for example, is supposedly a man’s world. It’s rare for women to pursue it as a hobby and an uphill battle to consider it a career. The perpetuation of this idea by the media is no help either books, movies and shows largely only represent men as athletes.
On Saturday, authors Menaka Raman and Nidhi Gupta furthered the discourse of equality in sports, through their talk ‘Changing the Narrative Around Women’s Sport through Fiction & Culture’. The talk featured on the second day of the Sports Law & Policy Symposium 2021 by The Sports Law & Policy Centre, Bengaluru, was moderated by Karunya Keshav, co-author of The Fire Burns Blue: A History of Women’s Cricket in India.
“Fiction is very powerful. It not only reflects the state of the society but also has the power to influence it. It can show us what lies beyond the barriers,” shared Nidhi. She runs a podcast of original stories, with co-creator Gautam Rao, called Stories without Pictures on which the recent story Ammu’s Summer Holidays narrates the tale of a young girl on holiday and her passion for cricket.
While Nidhi’s stories appeal to the hearing, Menaka’s book Loki Takes Guard a story of a “cricket-crazy” girl against the outdated rules of the sport is a visual experience. “There are studies that show, children at the age of five form rigid beliefs and stereotypes. A lot of it is influenced by the images and words presented to them. With picture books, we have a fantastic opportunity to tell stories and present the idea of young girls playing sports for the sheer joy of it,” she added.
While fiction is a proficient tool to emphasise hurdles women face in sports, it can also provide a utopian experience. The speakers mentioned that children’s books often fall under two categories — one that sheds light on the restrictions and realities of society, and one that creates an equal society to which we aspire. “Children internalise these things. When we make fairness and equality the norm, they will demand such a world,” commented Nidhi.
Unfortunately, the reality is far from the idea of equality. Women’s sports are often an afterthought to the glamorised men’s and tend to be viewed with condescension, intentionally or otherwise. Karunya, a sports reporter, revisiting her own experience, said, “In journalism, you start your job with women’s sports and then “graduate” to men’s sports. Thankfully, this has changed a bit in the past few years.
But you see this in fiction as well. Take Chak De! India. It is an incredible story but you had this male coach who was “punished” into coaching the women’s team.” Menaka also mentioned a Disney show that features a coach fired from the men’s team to end up “disgracefully” coaching a girls’ team, and calls for change in this mindset.
While we yearn for change, there is also conversation to be had about inclusivity in fiction. Whose story are they reading? According to Menaka, change is slow-moving but evident. “When we talk about diversity, we have to look at gender, caste, class, geography and even linguistics. Publishers are taking steps to ensure that writers and illustrators are sharing varied stories,” she stated while Nidhi added, “Inclusivity is coming but there is a long way to go.”
At the end of the day, it’s about encouraging women to get out and play. It may be a sluggish process but the recent changes in the world of fiction and sports keep us hopeful!
Keep it inclusive
While we yearn for change, there is also conversation to be had about inclusivity in fiction. According to Menaka, change is slow-moving but evident. “When we talk about diversity, we have to look at gender, caste, class, geography and even linguistics. Publishers are taking steps to ensure that writers and illustrators are sharing varied stories,” she stated.