A Narrative Essay: Interview with Dr. May
My interviewee’s name is Teresa May. She is a Ph.D. holder and acts as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Sociology. She grew up in Northern Virginia, in the outcast of Washington DC. The professor acquired secondary education at Thomas Jefferson High school.
She actively took part in various sporting activities in several levels of study. At the elementary school, she participated in swimming. In addition, at the middle school, she was on the basketball team, and participated in ballet, modern dance, and skiing while in high school. In fact, the professor states that she was not a big fan of swimming, but received encouragement from the parents to be on the team. Besides, her close friends/peers in athletic invited her to join their team. However, she did not receive any encouragement from the teachers to participate in any of the sporting activities. At her time in the school, gender discrimination in sports was rampant. Firstly, as a young girl, she was never encouraged to pursue sporting activities despite demonstrating great interest. Secondly, she does not remember an incidence in which she watched female sporting games, implying that the society had not upheld women in sports. In fact, women did not participate in football, baseball, and wrestling among others at the high school level. Unlike men, women related sports did not receive any considerable sponsorship because they were not valued.
It is evident from the discussion that from the elementary school, women related sports were highly despised; therefore, the aspect affected the participation of girls in sports at an early stage in life. As a result, a few girls developed an interest in the extra-curriculum activities. In addition, lack of sponsorship and encouragement of the women’s teams were clear signs of discrimination experienced during the time. Nevertheless, the situations have changed because, in the modern world, women and girls are actively participating in sporting activities at all levels of education as well as at the professional arenas.