Women are more likely not to enjoy exercise, the latest This Girl Can ad flips that
Sport England has launched a motivational call to arms to close the exercise enjoyment gap between men and women.
Studies suggest that 2.4 million fewer women enjoy exercise and sport than their male counterparts with barriers to participation including a fear of judgment, concern over safety and the cost of living.
Some 22% expressed concern over sexual harassment when engaging in physical activity while 41% fret that they are not fit enough to take part. The rising cost of living is also having a drag effect with 37% citing financial hardship as hurting activities.
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To level the playing field, This Girl Can, Sport England’s drive to boost participation, is prioritizing enjoyment to close the gender activity gap, which sees less than 60% of women being active compared to over 63% of men.
Tackling perennial obstacles the four-pronged campaign by agency partner FCB Inferno seeks to ensure that activities are social, meet women’s needs and are self-affirming and safe.
Kate Dale, director of marketing at Sport England, explained: “The exercise Enjoyment Gap is yet another inequality between women and men. It can be too easy to accept things as the way they are; to not challenge the status quo. That’s not what This Girl Can is about. We exist to get women active – and that means we’re here to shout about the Enjoyment Gap. Women deserve to get active as much as men; we want all women to benefit from the physical, mental and social rewards of an active life."
Launched in 2015, This Girl Can has amassed 700,000 community supporters to encourage women and girls of all shapes, sizes and abilities to get active.