These Olympics show a clear demand for gender equity

As the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games unfold, something is unmistakable: Women are driving the moment.

They’re leading highlight reels. Headlining broadcasts. Powering the storylines fans are sharing and following in real time. From figure skating to freestyle skiing to hockey, women athletes aren’t a side stage to the Games—they are the main event.

And the data backs up what we’re all seeing.

Subscribe to the Daily newsletter.Fast Company's trending stories delivered to you every day

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

SIGN UP

Privacy PolicyFast Company Newsletters

In new international research from Parity and SurveyMonkey surveying nearly 12,000 adults across the U.S., Canada, the UK/Ireland, and Australia, women’s events are as popular as—or more popular than—men’s events in the majority of Winter Olympic sports. High-profile women athletes, including Lindsey Vonn, Eileen Gu, and Marie-Philip Poulin, account for 55% of named competitors fans say they’re most excited to follow. And 25% of adults who are excited about the Olympic Games plans to follow more women’s events this year than they have in the past.

This raises a more nuanced question: If fans say women’s sports matter, why is the U.S. less emphatic about demanding equal treatment for women athletes? And why is the U.S. defining equality differently than the rest of the world?

FANS........

© Fast Company