NOS News•
Girls with a non-Western background from poor families play less sport than their peers. They drop out because of too little money or time, but also because they do not feel familiar or safe enough in the place where they exercise, for example because of the sportswear they have to wear, the presence of men or differences with teammates. This emerges from research commissioned by the Kenniscentrum Sport & Bewegen, which Trouw writes about.
The aim of the research was to gain more insight into already known reasons “that play a role in the non-structural sports and physical activity of teenage girls (12-18 years) who grow up in a family with an income around the poverty line”. Their parents are migrants from countries such as Morocco, Surinam and the former Netherlands Antilles.
Trouw writes that the researchers spoke for the first time with the girls themselves. They interviewed a total of eleven girls and one of their parents. There were also two group discussions with a total of 24 girls. According to the researchers, not exercising is “often related to their new phase of life, gender or (bi-)cultural background and/or money worries at home”.
‘Women only’
It’s not that the girls don’t want to play sports, says Laura Butselaar of the Knowledge Center in het NOS Radio 1 News, but the sports offer does not sufficiently meet their needs, according to the conversations. One of the recommendations is therefore to provide a more flexible and affordable sports offer, only for women.
“Especially girls with an Islamic background prefer ‘women only’ sports,” says Butselaar. “Many municipalities do offer that, but often still limited and far away. Due to all kinds of surrounding factors, it is complicated for the girls to use it. The most important thing is that they feel safe, that they are not watched and that they just fit in.”
Short skirt
“I played hockey as a kid,” says Rabia, one of the teens who participated in a group discussion. “I enjoyed the game a lot. That changed as I got older. I still really liked the sport itself, but I felt more and more an outsider. In hockey you have to wear a short skirt or shorts, a t shirt and knee socks. When I got a little older, I started wearing leggings under my shorts and later a headscarf.”
She felt less and less comfortable. “The coaches were male, there were a lot of people standing by the sidelines at games and everyone showered together after the game, except me. The girls on my team also went to those parties where there was a lot of drinking and stuff. I was invited, but never went.”
Difference between boys and girls
“Sports participation in this target group between native boys and girls is about the same level,” says Butselaar. “But if you look at the same target group with a non-Western migration background, you see a big difference between boys and girls.”
40 percent of teenage girls with a migration background are members of a sports provider, writes Trouw. The survey results showed that football, kickboxing, fitness, dancing and swimming are especially popular.
65 percent of boys with the same background are members. “There is no difference between the sexes among native Dutch peers,” the newspaper reports. “Moreover, they move significantly more at 76 percent.”
