WNBL Makes A Statement On Women's Basketball And Gender Equality

Tweet

OPINIONS, SPORTS | September 9, 2020

PSI Lady Defenders were hailed as the champions of the inaugural season of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) last year. (Image Source: ABS-CBN News/Facebook/NBL Philippines)

Women's basketball in the Philippines are breaking its own barriers and achieving new historic milestones even before the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic in and out of the country. Late last year, Gilas Pilipinas Women won two gold medals for both 5-on-5 and 3x3 women's basketball in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in Manila. Recently, the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) becomes the first all-female professional basketball league in the country following its approval from the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) last month. With its new season on the horizon, it would seem that WNBL is out to make a statement not just for the growth and development of women's basketball in the country, but also for gender equality and empowerment amidst challenging times.
The growing clamor of a women's professional hoops league due to the recent successes of the national women's basketball team comes with the brewing pressure of coming up with the right ingredients to make it all possible. Sure, there have been attempts of doing so in the past such as the semi-pro Women's Philippine Basketball League (WPBL) which is arguably the most notable among these attempts. But for WNBL, it is more than just providing opportunities for talented and aspiring players as the pioneering league also strives to address the issues that female athletes typically face and believes that everyone - players, personnel, media, sponsors, viewers - will play an important role in shaping its future and push women's basketball towards the right direction.

NBL executive vice-president Rhose Montreal stated in a virtual press briefing with the GAB that the league vows to never repeat the mistake made by the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) which occurred in 2015. At the time, Asia's premiere pay-to-play basketball league introduced a women's 3x3 tournament and its games were played during the halftime sessions of the regular games. However, it was quickly marred by controversy when former PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa imposed a sexist rule that barred female players from sporting "boy-like" hair. The said rule forced many players to either back out from the tournament or comply for lack of alternative opportunities which literally affects women's self-esteem and eventually takes away the spotlight from their athletic accomplishments.

As a matter of fact, the issues that Filipino female athletes are experiencing are also being encountered in the United States, most particularly the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Although a lot of female athletes and prominent male allies (including the late Kobe Bryant) are advocating for change in perception of women in sports, it will only take a long time for the gender gap to narrow down because of its prevalence in most, if not all, of women's sports. At a time when more gender equality resources are becoming available, WNBL has a good chance to do things right and focus on its goals now that it is slated to start a new chapter as a professional league. And while the world is still battling the coronavirus pandemic that put a halt of most sporting events, WNBL will have enough time to map out its plans for the 2021 season and beyond in fulfillment of its longterm goals in the foreseeable future and its purpose of showcasing the might and prowess of women's basketball in the Philippines.