09/10/2026
New data from our friends at Youth Sport Trust shows gendered stereotypes about sport are increasing amongst the younger generation.
Their Girls Active study found...
🏃♀️ Fewer than half of girls feel they have the opportunity to take part in the same range of sports and activities as boys in PE
🏉 Only around half of girls feel they have the same access to space and equipment outside of PE as boys
😪 Only 39% of girls believe boys’ and girls’ sport is seen as equally important
Girls and boys are equal, but they are not the same. If we want to make progress, we must recognise both the physiological differences and the stereotypes that shape their experiences.
Speaking about the research, our CEO Stephanie Hilborne OBE said:
"It is not acceptable to sit back and watch the gender divide between children continue to grow when it comes to sport. Sport is not a side issue, it is a fundamental right and has huge value for educational attainment, mental and physical health, and developing skills for life. We need to see more girls-only time for sport, as well as better designed and actively managed mixed classes.
“No child is born believing girls don't belong in certain sports. These ideas are learned, which means they can be unlearned. Firstly, we must unlearn them ourselves."
