Anthropological Perceptions of Gender in Soccer: The Case of Tsakane Schools in Gauteng Province

Abstract

The focus of this article is on gender relations with specific reference to soccer in the South African school  environment and at various levels, namely, national, provincial and local. The main aim of this article is to highlight  some of the challenges faced by girls at school level and women at all levels in soccer participation. The study  follows a qualitative approach which includes primary and secondary sources. In terms of primary sources, person- to-person interviews were conducted with female learners and educators, as well as their male counterparts. The  secondary sources included literature from journals, books, newspaper articles and so on. A feminist Marxist  theoretical approach has been used to understand gender inequalities in soccer within the context of township  schools in Gauteng province, South Africa. In the final analysis, recommendations are made in the hope that schools and policy makers will make use of them to improve the situation at school level and also improve school sports  policies.