Student’s perception of gender equality, stereotypes, and women in sports

Abstract

The Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic from May 5, 2021, as well as all previous ones, enshrined the equality of rights and freedoms of men and women. Moreover, Kyrgyzstan had real experience of gender equality during the USSR. However, the positive experience of the past and the constitutional and legal consolidation of gender equality today cannot solve the problem of discrimination against women’s rights in society and the family. The government’s loyalty to the active dissemination of Islamic values, low GDP, and unemployment have led to an increase in domestic violence against women. More than 10 thousand women annually turn to crisis centers, because of domestic violence, polygamy, bride kidnapping, and underage marriage. Involving women in sports could significantly increase women’s self-confidence and improve their physical and therefore mental health. If the feminization of sports is happening all over the world, then in Kyrgyzstan patriarchal values with corresponding gender stereotypes put a woman before an existential choice - family or career, family or sport. The study is aimed at finding out what students think about gender equality in its socio-political, economic, and cultural aspects.