"WOMEN SHAPING HISTORY: THE ROLE OF SPORT IN WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT"

After watching Cortellesi's film 'There's Still Tomorrow' with my mother, I reflected on the importance of women coming together to overcome the gender gap that unfortunately still exists today in culture and society, in private life as much as at work and in sport.

Many women in the past have fought for our rights. They were ordinary women, but they did extraordinary things. They contributed to the emancipation of women and the right to vote. Thanks to them, we overcame the first gender ghettoisation. Before, society relegated us to a subordinate role, limited to the home and procreation.

Some scenes in the film reminded me that many women in my family, first and foremost my great-grandmother Elena Cacciatore, were personally involved in promoting women's emancipation, the end of all discrimination against women and the recognition of equal rights. In fact, she was the founder and president of the UDI Unione Donne Italiane (Union of Italian Women) and said:

 'Women must not just be spectators of life, but protagonists. Women must not only dream, but realise their dreams. Women must not only follow, but lead. Women must not only live, but create." I want to dedicate this article to her and to all the people who have fought for our rights throughout history
 
 Women Creating History: The role of sport in the emancipation of women.

Sport is one of mankind's greatest achievements and has always been an important instrument of women's emancipation throughout 20th century history. Did you know that we have also had to fight to assert our right to play sport and compete at high levels?

Sport has always been a way for us women to express our personality, our strength, our beauty and our freedom, despite the difficulties, discrimination and prejudice we have had to face. Physical activity has improved our health, well-being and self-esteem, allowing us to excel in so many disciplines, even more than men. Sport has helped us fight for our rights in different historical and cultural contexts. I would like to share and remember some of the pioneers of women's sport, who have made history with their achievements. For example:

* Alice Milliat, French, who founded the International Women's Sports Federation in 1921 and organised the first Women's Olympics in 1922, to counter the exclusion of women from the Olympic Games.

* Kathrine Switzer, American, who in 1967 was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon with an official number, defying the ban on women. During the race, she was attacked by an official who tried to stop her, but managed to complete the race thanks to the support of her boyfriend and other runners.

* Nadia Comăneci, Romanian, who in 1976 she was the first gymnast to achieve a perfect score of 10 at the Montreal Olympics, at only 14 years of age.

Her performance was considered one of the greatest sporting feats of all time and made her a worldwide icon of gymnastics.

These are just a few of the women who have marked the history of women's sport, but there are many more. Today, we women participate in almost all sports disciplines and have achieved outstanding results in many fields. However, inequalities still exist between men's and women's sport, both in terms of opportunities, recognition and remuneration. Therefore, sport still remains a challenge worth fighting for.

One study found that the younger generation has problems with coordination and movement. One of the causes is the lack of sport. Sport is useful for growth. It helps to get to know your body and keep it healthy, physically and mentally.

As a child, I was always told: 'a healthy mind in a healthy body'. This expression means that in order to have a healthy mind one must also take care of one's body, and vice versa.

This idea has been taken up by the world of sport, which sees physical activity as a way of improving mental and physical well-being. There is also scientific evidence that there is a correlation between the health of the body and that of the mind, and that sport can prevent or alleviate certain mental illnesses.

Sport is important for everyone, not just for us women. Personally, I am committed to promoting it by creating a community dedicated to the sport I am in love with: kitesurfing. It is a community of mermaids around the world who practise a sport that represents freedom and who transmit good vibes to all the people who want to approach it. Sharing and communication are essential in our lives and sport represents all that.

People, in my opinion, should invest more in sport as a life value and help us promote it so that in the near future we can also create alternatives that promote and favour a healthy lifestyle.

Every sporting activity offers a unique opportunity for personal growth and well-being, inviting people to discover new passions beyond the traditional scenarios. There is a world of many beautiful realities.

In conclusion, I would like to invite everyone to reflect on the role of sport in the emancipation of women and to support women who participate in sport, at whatever level. Sport is a form of art and culture that contributes to the history of women and humanity. As my great-grandmother used to say: "Women must not only live, but create."

Creator: Floriana Rossi

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