Unisex Sport - Could male and female athletes compete against each other?

Gender equality is something that has been debated over for centuries. In 2021, the situation is still not perfect, but major steps have been taken to make the sporting world a more inclusive place. The Olympics have played a major role in this and was the very first sight of women's participation in sport on a global scale when they were invited to compete in the 1900 Paris Olympics across five events. Since then, women's participation has exploded into almost every sport at both the Olympic games and as professionals. However, watching professional sportsmen compete against professional sportswomen is still something that is rarely observed and can only be found in events such as Tennis (mixed doubles) and Equestrian. So the question is, will we ever see professional unisex sport, and what are the needed steps to get there?  

Anatomically, there are a lot of differences between male and female athletes. For example, higher levels of testosterone in males allow for increased muscular development and strength; something that is sought after in most professional sports. On the other hand, women have been found to have higher levels of endurance due to their ability to switch between muscle fiber types. But putting this aside, the defining factor behind most athletes' success is their skill level. If an athlete possesses world-class fine motor skills in almost any sport, they can compete against anyone (in theory). 

So in a world where men did compete against women, how would it play out? Well, it would be heavily dependent on the sport and the role each gender played in it. For example, in the NFL, men would be given the advantage in most positions due to their enhanced physicality and strength. However, if they performed at a higher level, women could find themselves as a punter or kicker, a role that is based on skill rather than physicality. This concept has already become a reality as Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller became the first woman to score in a college football game when she scored an extra-point kick against Tenessee. On the other hand, in sports such as tennis and golf, performance would be judged on skill and performance alone and therefore present a level playing field for unisex sport. This is something that has already occurred in tennis when Billy Jean King faced off against Bobby Riggs and played a major part in the women's movement of the 1970s.  

Although this concept of unisex integration seems simple enough to establish, there are some major factors to why this hasn't been implemented yet: money and the acceptance of modern society. 

Like it or not, money is the hand on the wheel that drives a sports success and unfortunately, most of it is behind men's sport. This is the reason behind the advanced TV coverage and higher wages that male athletes enjoy. But this isn't because of a difference in ability or talent but is due to the revenue that men's sports leagues accumulate. In 2019, the NFL, MLB, and NBA generated a combined $33.92 billion in revenue. In contrast, the Women's Tennis Association, WNBA, and the Women's FIFA World Cup generated a combined revenue of $370 million. So just looking at these numbers, you can clearly see how the pay gap between male and female athletes is formed and the main reason behind them. Now, given time, these numbers will change, as women's sport is becoming increasingly popular and starting to attract more lucrative sponsors. 

However, no matter where the millionaires and billionaires invest their money, the integration of male and female sports will still seem a foreign concept for most of modern society and will take some time before its acceptance, regardless of the athlete's view. Any acts of physical aggression towards a woman are deemed highly unacceptable by today's society and are met with serious repercussions. Therefore their participation against men in sports such as MMA, boxing or rugby, could present a potentially blurred line between what is acceptable and what is not, and give incorrect examples to younger generations to how each gender should be treated outside of sport. 

However, in a perfect world, the integration of male and female sports on a global scale would be a huge step in the march toward equality and would shine new light on the physical and tactical ability of female athletes; creating a better sporting future for generations to come.