Content created in partnership with New Balance
According to research undertaken by Sports NZ into gender and sports reporting in Aotearoa, only 15% of media coverage focuses on female athletes and even then the way they are represented differs greatly from their male counterparts in terms of the focus on their personal life and appearance over performance (the good news is NZ’s figures are well over the woeful global average of 4%).
Whether it’s a case of largely male sports editors and journalists placing their own bias preference on their coverage, or more systemic industry wide issues, we are so grateful for the trailblazing athletes (and reporters, like Stuff's Dana Johannsen) who continue to push, to agitate and to advocate.
Pro-surfer Paige Hareb (31) and champion sprinter Zoe Hobbs (24) are, in true Ensemble style, people who aren’t waiting for someone else to give them their time in the spotlight, they’re making this their time.
Both have achieved iconic career highs, both in Aotearoa and internationally, and continue to carve new ground on what feels like a daily basis (at the time we spoke with them, Paige was off to Australia to compete in the World Surf League qualifying series for the first time in two years, and Zoe had just set a new all-comers record in the 100m sprint, and smashed the NZ Track and Field National Championships).
So we were thrilled to sit down with them to share their thoughts on gender bias in the sports industry ahead of International Women’s Day. We discussed everything from bias, pay parity, mental health, sexism and… clothes. Because, as Zoe (who also works part-time as a nutritionist while studying sports nutrition) says, “I don't consider my sport my career, as much as I would love for it to be. Fortunately, I'm at the point where I am supported by New Balance; however, from the beginning, I was aware that it would be tricky to make a living as a sprinter in NZ”.
Ensemble: First, a very serious question. What do you wear to work?
Zoe: Usually always just sportswear or athleisure wear. Respectable but easy.
Paige: A suit. A wetsuit!
What kind of bias have you come up against in your sporting career?
Paige: In surfing competitions it became well known that event directors would always choose to put the women's surfing on when conditions were the worst. I have clear memories of turning up to the beach in the morning, seeing how bad the waves were and instantly knowing “yip, the girls are on today”.
Zoe: That ALL boys are better at sport than females, and ALL boys are faster and stronger than females. I've dealt with this gender bias since as early as I can remember. Also, being “strong and muscley” and characteristics such as being “powerful or explosive” aren’t generally associated with “femininity”. This contributed to past insecurity around acting or looking a certain way. Now I realise at the crux of it all being strong and powerful are the very things that contribute to making me a better athlete.
What’s the most blatant example of sexism you’ve encountered?
Paige: I’ve had surf sponsors and photographers asking if I can wear bikinis, and what my smallest bikini bottoms are. I also remember on a freesurf trip in Mexico, a guy from Israel said to me “you surf good, but can you cook?"
Zoe: Being automatically assumed to be slower or weaker than males in all instances, it's pretty belittling when it only comes down to gender as being that decider.
What about prize parity?
Paige: Women's prize money was always usually at least half the men's prize money in surfing until around 2018 when the WSL (World Surf League) finally stepped up and announced that every WSL sanctioned event would have equal prize money. It was an amazing moment, I was there for the announcement and remember seeing all the females (and some males) in awe!
Zoe: At a recent track meet in NZ the feature event awarded more prize money to the male than the female race. On top of that, a bonus was awarded for running under a particular time unobtainable by females. The female was also unable to race with the men if she wanted to race for the prize money. I think this pay gap has since been looked into.
How do you see your responsibilities as a role model?
Paige: To be the best human I can be. If I can do that for myself then I hope that can rub off on other people too. I want to encourage all females that we can do and be anything we want to do and be!
Zoe: To keep pushing towards your goals no matter the barriers in front of you. Body image is also a big one, especially in my sport. I hope I can help promote more body positivity around all body shapes and sizes, and builds. I am looking to migrate my line of nutrition work into sports nutrition and working with athletes. In my experience it's mostly been male influence I could call on in this space. By stepping into it as a female support line, I hope to provide access that athletes and other females can look to for help within the industry.
What do you do to look after your mental health as a pro athlete?
Paige: I listen to my body more and more. I used to feel bad if I missed a training or didn’t surf but sometimes not training can be so much more rewarding to you physically and mentally. I also like to take my mind off surfing. Simple things like going for a run or a walk, listening to a podcast, playing team sports, talking about everything and anything with a good friend, and Netflix.
Zoe: Overall balance is a big one for me; I've found I can get burnt out if I'm overcompensating too much in one area and neglecting other parts of my life. Part of that is trying to establish and maintain good routines (as much as my life is often shifting constantly).
It’s important that I’m doing the basics well too, like looking after my nutrition as I know this always helps make me feel my best. Engaging with people who are energisers (not energy drainers), taking time outside, going for a walk. Reminding myself that training is good for my mental health, even on days when I seriously lack motivation. I know I will always thank myself for it afterwards.
