The phrases “shut up & dribble” and “stick to sports” have been thrown at athletes for years – often by people who believe sports should exist in a vacuum, untouched by politics or social issues. But for women athletes in particular, that idea has never matched reality. For women athletes, sports have never been just about sports. During the 2020 WNBA “wubble” season, Nneka Ogwumike and Sue Bird captured this truth perfectly in a joint op-ed, writing: 

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“Activism has always been part of our DNA: because, by simply existing in spaces that weren’t built for us, women athletes are doing something revolutionary.”

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For women, simply participating in sports has long been a form of resistance, and using their platforms to push for change has become a natural extension of that reality. From fighting for maternal protections to demanding racial and gender equity, women athletes have consistently stepped up to use their platforms to impact powerful change. Here are four examples that show how deeply activism is woven into the DNA of women’s sports.

In 2019, Allyson Felix – the most decorated track and field athlete in U.S. history – publicly challenged Nike over its treatment of pregnant athletes. In a New York Times op-ed, Felix revealed that Nike had proposed a 70% pay cut during her pregnancy and refused to guarantee maternity protections. In the wake of her advocacy, Nike reportedly expanded its maternity protections for sponsored athletes, and Felix’s bravery helped set a new standard for women in sports (and beyond) when it comes to maternity protections.

In March 2021, viral photos and TikToks exposed the stark disparities between the men’s and women’s weight rooms at the NCAA March Madness tournaments. What began as a few comparison images ignited a global reckoning around gender equity sports, and led to the NCAA's external review on gender equity that highlighted staggering systemic inequity between men's and women's athletics. As a result, the NCAA responded with a series of initial changes to close the massive gender gaps and improve the experience of women athletes during March Madness.

During the 2020 COVID-19 global pandemic, WNBA players led one of the most coordinated athlete activism movements in modern sports history. The athletes dedicated their time playing a bubble (affectionately referred to as the “wubble”) season to highlight the #BlackLivesMatter and #SayHerName movements. Taking their advocacy even further, when (now former) Atlanta Dream team owner Kelly Loeffler publicly criticized their activist efforts, players didn’t back down. Instead, they boldly rallied behind Loeffler’s opponent in her Senate race - Reverend Raphael Warnock - helping generate support for the Reverend, who won the election, and ultimately shifting the trajectory of U.S. politics.

Wilma Rudolph made history at the 1960 Rome Olympics, becoming the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympics (100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay). Upon her return to the U.S., her hometown of Clarksville, Tennessee initially planned segregated celebrations to honor her historic achievement. Rudolph refused to participate unless the celebration was integrated. As a result, the town changed course, and the parade to honor Rudolph became the first racially integrated event to take place in Clarksville.

This small – but powerful – sample of the activism of women athletes shows how women have consistently used sport as a platform to demand equity, dignity, and change. For women in sports, activism is inherently part of who they are – and who they have always been.

Caroline Fitzgerald is a contributing writer for TOGETHXR.com and a leading expert in women’s sports business and gender equity. A Sports Business Journal "2024 Power Player in Women's Sports," she covers the forces shaping the industry’s next era of growth.

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