Examining The Growth And Popularity Of Women's Mixed Martial Arts

In recent years kickboxing has become a popular method of self-defense and exercise for both men and women. Even though men and women are are participating in this sport, kickboxing and mixed martial arts continue to be dominated by men. For example, men’s competitive fights in kickboxing are more popular, and more promoted, than women’s fights. In his article, “Examining the Growth and Popularity of Women’s Mixed Martial Arts,” James MacDonald details how ninety-six percent of sports news are dedicated to men, while only two percent account for women’s coverage. This conveys how there is bias working against women that continue in the industry. This bias, unfortunately, occurs both inside and outside of the ring, as well as in the competitive

Martial arts have become popular in the country of Thailand, and Thai boxing, known as Muay Thai, has become their national sport. Until recently, however, a woman entering the boxing ring was considered bad luck. Muay Thai is a sport steeped in superstition, and the presence of a woman, especially if she was menstruating, was thought to cancel out blessings (Thomas Fuller, “Sugar and Spice and a Vicious Right: Thai Boxing Discovers its Feminine Side”). Besides superstition, women are also limited due to the value of femininity in Thai culture. Fuller quotes, “‘When they grow up they get a boyfriend or they get married… Their career cycle is not very long. Their husbands don’t want them to come home with bruises’” (“Sugar and Spice and a Vicious Right: Thai Boxing Discovers its Feminine Side”). Women are seen as fragile and parents, as well as partners, do not want to see girls and women with bruises and cuts from fighting. Since women’s martial arts careers are usually short, those that do want to continue are also cut short due to lack of sponsorship. Many sponsors do not want to see women fighting because they see it as a man’s sport, and as a result only invest in male athletes (Lara Owen, “100 Women: The Muay Thai Fighters Excluded From the Ring For Being Female”). Due to cultural taboos, women are not able to advance their practice or career of martial arts and, as a result, they are not taken seriously because they are expected to end their careers early. This makes the ability to get women’s martial arts on the same level as men’s martial arts a difficult goal. Cultural attitudes towards women fighting must change in order to tear down the barriers in women’s