While women’s sports participation has doubled over the last 40 years, women still lag behind their male counterparts in both participation and pay equity. A new documentary, Tomboy, by NBC Sports explores these reasons through conversations with stars like Tobin Heath, Lindsey Vonn, Mo’ne Davis, and Billie Jean King.
Athletes share how both institutional and social barriers affect them. Not all of the problems women athletes face are about lack of opportunity; some problems are about dealing with stigmas associated with female athleticism and femininity.
“We want to have the best of both worlds. I want to be able to play with Barbies, I want to be able to play dress up, and I also want to be able to go outside and pitch a 77-mph softball,” says fastpitch softball star Monica Abbott.
The one-hour documentary premieres this month, on NBC-owned regional sports networks around the country, with re-airings throughout March. It will make it’s national debut on NBC Sports on March 30.