serve in a position of power over individuals who they might live with, have classes with, or
individuals who they consider a friend (Flint, 2012). This is a unique challenge to intramural
referees, and the intersecting role that being a female creates in addition to the other social
identities may lead to a more negative experience within the intramural referee position that
male referees may never experience.
Within almost every institution of higher education, there are core values and ideals that
discuss the importance of inclusion and diversity on the college campus. Due to the fact that
campus recreation has an obligation to carry out the mission of the university, it is essential to
remember that college recreation needs to be heavily focused on inclusion. The National
Intramural-Recreational Sports Association, otherwise known as NIRSA, has focused on
advocating for minority and underrepresented groups within campus recreation environments.
Through multiple training programs, social justice dialogues, and intentional conversations,
NIRSA has helped to create a more inclusive and diverse environment for all identities, and thus
assist in creating a more welcoming environment for all genders (Bravo, 2017).
Discrimination and Stereotypes
Discriminatory cultural stereotypes regarding women are prevalent negative barriers between
women and pursuing a career as a referee. The idea that women are incapable of being
successful and efficient referees in their respective sport simply due to their gender is a
prevalent opinion within much of the sporting community. According to a 2014 study, former
female officials stated that they experience a lack of perceived respect from male
counterparts, inequitable policies, a lack of female role modeling, and an increased level of
gendered abuse when compared to their male counterparts (Tingle, Warner & Satore-Baldwin,
2014). Together, the combined effects of these factors were substantially negative enough to
force these female officials away from the profession of refereeing. Discrimination from fellow
male referees tended to lead as the number one reason that female officials decided to leave
refereeing, as various sexist comments and instances of exclusion led to a hostile work
environment (Tingle et al, 2014). Incivility within the workplace has been shown to lead to
decreased job satisfaction, burnout, and reduced retention rates and is a key aspect of the lack
of retention of female referees in the sporting community (Tingle et al, 2014).
Spectator Harassment
Every day that female referees go to work, their gender, sexuality and overall qualifications for
the position are attacked and questioned by others around them. (Forbes et al, 2014). These
consistent attacks on gender identity are especially prevalent when the female referees make
an honest mistake in officiating. According to a female referee, “When you make a mistake the
first thing you hear is related to your gender, it's because you’re female and not because you're
a referee” (Forbes et al, 2014). When mistakes like these happen to male referees, onlookers
tend to brush them off as simple mistakes, and never use these instances to attack their
sexuality or their gender identity. Some female referees also note examples of onlookers
attacking their sexuality by making assumptions about sexual orientation, or making sexually
harassing comments. This showcases the sexist and discriminatory environment that female
referees work in and highlights the gender gap between male and female referees in general.
Female officials also bring up how they feel scapegoated when anything out of the ordinary
happens within the game, such as excessively obnoxious fans, players or even coaches (Tingle
et al, 2014). During situations that are out of the ordinary, the female referees claim that their
gender identity is belittled and attacked, and some of the comments heard borderline on
sexual harassment.