Euro 2022: Sexism in women's football still rife

The volume of discriminatory social media posts, particularly of a sexist nature, has risen during the Women's European Championship, according to research in Germany. But the problem goes deeper than social media.

Abuse of female footballers extends to the stadium, the media and even to coaches

Lewd remarks, sexist prejudices and the denial of competence are common and widespread social media themes that many female footballers continue to face, with all platforms awash with such comments — peaking during the ongoing Women's European Championship.

That's according to new research conducted by German broadcasters ARD and NDR and the broadsheet newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, which found that many players have reported being ridiculed, objectified and ignored. Discriminatory and derogatory posts continue to go unpunished, or are even accepted as the norm.

Wendie Renard, France captain and eight-time Champions League winner with Olympique Lyon, said: "An insult is and remains an insult, whether on social media or in everyday life."

Despite the general positivity and enthusiasm for Euro 2022 in host country England and across the continent, governing body UEFA reported almost 300 offensive posts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter during the group stages.

While 70% of the posts reported were insults without reference to a specific group of people or ethnicity, 20% were classified as sexist, 6% as racist and 4% as homophobic. According to the European Football Union, 55% of the posts were deleted, the majority within just over an hour.

Discrimination goes beyond social media

While the inhibition threshold is low for many on social media, abuse of female footballers extends to the stadium, the media and even to coaches, the research found.

Germany's Almuth Schult has revealed that she has faced prejudice by the media

German national team goalkeeper Almuth Schult, of Frauen-Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, revealed in ARD's "Panorama" documentary that she was once asked by a journalist: "How does it feel to be one of the few in the team who loves a man and not a woman?"

"Here I am thinking, here we are again," Schult said. "The prejudice that only lesbians play football."

Another female Bundesliga player speaks anonymously in the "Panorama" report of a coach's transgressions of boundaries: "He kept making comments about a teammate's butt."

And in the case of another player, the same coach reportedly remarked on "how sexy she was" — comments confirmed by fellow players and coaches.

Amateur German footballer Franziska Bielfeld told NDR: "We have all learned to close our ears to it — especially in football."

'Not specific to football'

The general secretary of the German Football Association, Heike Ullrich, has called for action, but suggested the problem is societal, rather than specific to football.

"Every case of even perceived crossings of boundaries is one too many — this must be addressed," she said.

"It is the task of all of us, not only of football, of sport, but of our society, to draw attention to these transgressions. It doesn't matter if you're a boy or a girl, man or woman, you have to say: I didn't like what you just said."

'Every case of even perceived crossings of boundaries is one too many,' said DFB General Secretary Heike Ullrich

In the report, former German international Tabea Kemme reveals that only recently she experienced a conversation about a female teammate in which the sentence was uttered: "She's really hot, too, isn't she? I'd want to iron her out, too."

The struggle for fair conditions and appropriate behavior remains "frustrating," but she still hopes for a more positive future.

"When you yourself have the feeling that you've always given everything and yet nothing changes…" said Almuth Schult. "It's about building the momentum to bring about change — it's simply about equality and equal opportunities."

mds/mf (SID, dpa)

Sexism allegations overshadow

Bayreuth Festival

Several female employees at the music festival were allegedly groped, including festival director Katharina Wagner, underscoring the prevalence of everyday sexism in Germany.

Even Bayreuth Festival director Katharina Wagner revealed she has been groped

The Bayreuth Festival was hoping to emerge from two tough pandemic years revived and renewed. Now, three days before the Wagner music festival begins, allegations of sexual harrassment have surfaced.

On Friday, Bavarian daily Nordbayerischer Kurier reported under the headline "Women groped at the Festspielhaus," about physical assaults on women, insults and sexist remarks.

The newspaper reports that even festival director, Katharina Wagner, confirmed via telephone that she had been touched on the breast. According to the Kurier, other female employees also reported being touched on the buttocks without their consent.

Accusations of backstage sexism have been made against the Bayreuth Festival

Festival management 'very troubled,' yet 'surprised'

Hubertus Herrmann, the spokesperson for the Bayreuth Festival, told the German press agency dpa that the festival management is "very troubled and actually surprised, since no information is known internally about possible assaults."

He promised an immediate investigation and asked "anyone affected to contact the management directly," adding that "no insults or physical assaults will be tolerated."

The fact that women could also have sexist experiences at one of Europe's most important music festivals coincides with studies on sexism in everyday German life.

Almost half of all women, 44%, experience sexism in everyday life. Around 41% of women who face sexism experience it in the workplace, while 46% experience sexism in public places, according to a 2018 study on sexism in everyday life commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.

Many cases unreported

The authors of the study refer to a large number of unreported cases, since many sexist incidents are now so commonplace — for example, the unsolicited sending of "dick pics", or digital photos of a man's sexual organ.

In addition, the study stated that men who work in high management positions at large corporations, or in professions, often reject sexism as a "phantom" debate, or argue that men were discriminated against by women, not the other way around. If groping or assaulting women occurred, it was primarily by men from the "underclass," or "other cultural groups."

In 2020, a video titled "Men's World" that showed the daily abuse women faced online in Germany was broadcast live on prime-time TV — and then went viral. Men were left shocked by what they saw, while women wondered whether it would change anything.

The Bayreuth Festival begins July 25. This year, more operas will be performed than ever before. Last year they were all about strong women.

The festival is a cultural institution in Germany and throughout Europe: It focuses on the work of German composer Richard Wagner, whose female companions did not always have it easy by his side. Today, his operas are performed in Bayreuth in ever newer productions.

Former Chancellor Angela Merkel and her husband, Joachim Sauer, often attended the Bayreuth Festival, including last year

Celebrities and well-known people are often in attendance, including former German Chancellor Angela Merkel — who will attend again this year with her husband, Joachim Sauer.

This article was originally written in German