Sports Play like a girl

BY MARIT SAMSON

PHOTOS BY KARL DIMACULANGAN AND VIONNA VILLALON PHOTO COURTESY

WHY IS it a compliment if a woman receives the comment, “Para kang lalaki maglaro! (You play like a man),” but an insult if a man is described as someone who plays like a girl?

Female athletes have their backs to the rest of the pack as they take the lead in breaking biases and setting standards for Philippine sports. At the collegiate level, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines is an arena for stories of empowerment for young women in sports.

Last May 2022, Ateneo did its part in the fight against gender biases in sports by bestowing the “Blue Eagles” moniker to all teams. Prior to this, the said moniker was exclusively tagged to the Ateneo men’s sports teams, while all Ateneo women’s sports teams were distinguished from their male counterparts by having the word “Lady” in their titles.

According to University President Roberto C. Yap, SJ, “[The change to Blue Eagles] is a recognition of the fact that each of our student athletes, whatever their sport or year level, represents the mens sana in corpore sano (sound mind in a sound body) ideal: excelling in the classroom and in the sporting arena.”

This way, Ateneo’s generalization of the “Blue Eagles” not only promotes equality among all sports but aims to empower both men’s and women’s teams equitably.

Although we have come a long way from an era of exclusivity when sports was considered “not for girls,” there is still much work to be done. Looking at the genderbiased disparity in sponsorships and prize money, positions in the coaching force, and opportunities to go professional—the call to eliminate misogyny in the sports industry is still as urgent as ever.

Continuing the spirit of International Women’s Month last March, three female Ateneo athletes share their stories of transforming the phrase “play like a girl” from a derogatory phrase to an honorable crown of intellect, strength, and femininity.

Herstory In The Making

Women in esports don’t have it easy. Call of Duty Mobile (CODM) player Coleen “Cols” Pile claims that in her specific game, the future for female gamers is close to nothing at the moment. A big factor at play is the deeply-rooted stereotype that men are more skilled and more competitive players than women.

Pile shares, “I’d see some instances choose between a girl and a boy, they would choose a boy. [There’s a] mindset talaga ‘yung lalaki yung

(I’d see some instances that if the team would choose between a girl and a boy, they would choose a boy. [There’s a] mindset that men are stronger [and] girls are being belittled.)

The male-biased stereotype in gaming also manifests in the use of language. Pile admits to receiving comments such as “ kang lalaki maglaro a man),” and “ sa babae

Upon further scrutiny, beneath these backhanded compliments lies the implication that men are the standard in gaming. However, Pile believes that if girls were given ample or equitable opportunities to showcase their excellence, men in esports would have no choice but to share the spotlight in the gaming arena.

Thus, in the e-sports scene, to play like a girl means to constantly combat long-standing stereotypes while the struggle to earn a respected space in the industry continues. Despite the derogatory meaning attached to playing like a girl, Pile expresses a hopeful attitude as she confidently says it can be changed. In a male-dominated industry like esports, there is no question that women can be at par with their male competitors.

Smashing Stereotypes

From playing in summer sports clinics when she was seven years old to competing for the Philippine National Team at the age of 16, Althea Ong proudly says that the sport of tennis has always felt empowering. “Tennis is something that made me who playing since. Aside from the brutal games she endures, resisting misconceptions that downplay women invariably comes with being in the sport. Sophia is no exception to receiving remarks like “You could compete with the boys” or “You don’t care how you look when you told to “care about” their looks while playing reinforces the idea that women should prioritize vanity over competitiveness. Ultimately, these stereotypes embedded in the sports discourse invalidate the generations of hard work done by women who came before.

She proudly adds, “If you’re a girl, you’re gonna play like a girl. You don’t even have to be biologically female. If you define yourself the way that you want and you play like a girl, that’s all it is. [It’s about] embracing femininity and turning it into power.”