The mother's principal role is to take care of the children and be the primary nurturer in the family. They are also the primary caretakers of the home. Children are required to be obedient, respectful, and submissive to their parents. Girls are expected to help with domestic chores around the house, whereas boys are expected to do activities outside the house, such as taking care of the yard and running errands (Evans and Davies 1996). (Net Industries and its Licensors)

Functionalist theory focuses on the ways that sports contribute to the smooth operation of societies, communities, organizations, and groups. This is why a functionalist approach is popular among people interested in preserving the status quo in society. Many people connected with organized competitive sports also prefer functionalist theory because it emphasizes the “functions” of sports and supports the conclusion that sports are a source of inspiration for individuals and societies.

Functionalist theory however has three major weaknesses. Functionalists see sport as a relatively stable social institution that always serves specific functions in societies. Such an approach overlooks the diversity of sports, the extent to which sports promote the interests of powerful and wealthy people, and the possibility that sports may sometimes produce or reproduce social outcomes that actually disrupt the smooth functioning of society.

Additionally, functionalist theory may overstate the positive effects of sport in society and understate its negative effects. For example, it does not help us to understand that women in society are disadvantaged when sports are organized in ways that legitimize the use of physical power to dominate others. Lastly, functionalist theory is based on the assumption that the needs of all groups within a society are the same. This overlooks the existence of real differences and conflicts of interest in society and cases when sports are known to benefit men more than women. (McGraw-Hill Education)

Feminist theory is based on the assumption that knowledge about social life requires an understanding of gender and gender relations. It explains the ways that women have been devalued and oppressed and emphasizes that gender equity is a must for social development and progress. Feminists focus on issues of power and seek to explain the origin and consequences of gender relations, especially those that privilege men over women and some men over other men.

Critical feminist research has shown that sports are gendered activities, in that their meaning, purpose, and organization are grounded in the values and experiences of men and celebrate attributes associated with dominant forms of masculinity in society (Birrell, 2000; Burstyn, 1999). Therefore, in the world of sports, a person is defined as “qualified” as an athlete, a coach, or an administrator if he or she is tough, aggressive, and emotionally focused on competitive success. If a person is kind, caring, supportive, and emotionally responsive to others, he or she is qualified only to be a cheerleader, a volunteer worker, or an assistant in marketing and public relations. These latter qualities, often associated with femininity and weakness, are not valued in most sport organizations.

Critical feminist theory has had a major impact on the sociology of sport. It has increased our understanding of sports as a part of culture, and made us aware of gender-related issues in sports such as some women fear being called lesbians if they become strong and powerful athletes.

The theory however, is not without criticism in that although critical feminists have become increasingly aware of the connections between gender and other categories of experience related to age, race and ethnicity, social class, disability, religion, and nationality, they have been slow to theorize these connections. Furthermore, there is an urgent need for more research on the sport related experiences of women of different ages, abilities, religions, and nationalities (Nakamura, 2002; Walseth and Fasting, 2003). For both men and women, regular exercise offers weight loss, reduced levels of harmful cholesterol, fewer sick days and an improved self-concept. Those who exercise have less low backache, headache, anxiety, depression and fatigue. Weightbearing exercises build and maintain strong bones in both sexes. The points noted in this article concern the physical differences between men and women:
• Menstrual symptoms, including a group called molimina (appetite changes, breast tenderness, fluid retention and mood changes) are eased.
• Stronger bones developed with weight-bearing exercise may help prevent osteoporosis that often occurs after menopause.
• Women tend to have smaller hearts and less lung capacity. Their muscles are smaller and they have more body fat. This means that, on average, women cannot do aerobic exercise for as long as men. Despite this, women can still achieve a lower heart rate and blood pressure, loss of body fat and increased strength by doing aerobic exercise.
Hormonal Changes
For some women, especially those with little body fat, too much exercise can reduce the levels of hormones (estrogen and progesterone) which control menstruation. The results may range from normal periods with no egg produced, to infrequent and light periods (oligomenorrhea), to no periods at all (amenorrhea).
For girls near puberty, the onset of periods may be delayed by intense exercise. Changes in the menstrual cycle can have an effect on fertility, although this usually only occurs with excessive exercise.
Most women report differences in performance during the menstrual cycle. This is supported by evidence that performance is not as good before the period and is best during the period.
Estrogen and progesterone help bone growth. If hormone levels are low for a long time, such as with very intense exercise, calcium can be lost from the bone. This loss is similar to that which occurs after menopause. It may result in broken bones, especially the spine and hips. More important, light or moderate exercise will improve bone strength.
The reason for exercise-related hormone changes are complex and not well understood. What is known is adverse changes from excessive exercise can be reversed with small reductions in training or small weight gains. Certainly women who have irregular periods, no matter what the cause, should see their doctor. Women who have a history of irregular periods could have their bone density measured to determine if there has been any associated bone loss.
Active women must maintain proper iron levels in the body. Iron is found in hemoglobin, which is in the red blood cells carrying oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. Iron is also an important part of many body proteins and cell components.
Women who menstruate risking having low iron because of the regular loss of blood (and therefore iron) which occurs each month. Very active women have an added risk because their bodies absorb less iron. They also lose iron with sweat and have a breakdown of red blood cells in some of the tissues.
Red meat provides the best source of iron. Any red meat and the dark meat of poultry provide a form of iron called heme-iron. This is more easily used than the iron found in vegetables and grains. It is most effective when combined with vegetable proteins. For example, split-pea soup with ham, or chicken soup with lentils are high-iron combinations. Vitamin C, plentiful in fruits, will also increase iron absorption. Some people who restrict meat from their diets are also counting calories. These people may cut back on other food groups which supply iron. One way to increase iron, especially if calories are being limited, is to choose breads, cereals and pasta with ‘enriched’ or ‘fortified’ on the label.
The single or combined effect of loss of iron through menstruation, exercise and diet restrictions may cause iron deficiency. The symptoms of low iron include tiring easily and poor performance. If iron stores become too low, anemia will result and the added symptoms of this include paleness, greater fatigue and shortness of breath. All women should eat a diet with enough iron (see table). It is also important that they have hemoglobin levels checked periodically by a doctor. For those at risk of low iron, the body’s iron stores should be measured.
Risk of injury
A question often asked about women in sport is whether they are at higher risk of injury than men. This concern, without basis in fact, kept women from taking part in many sports until recently. For example, women were not allowed to compete in the marathon at the Olympics until 1984.
The body’s response to exercise is the same for both sexes. Each sport carries its own risk of injuries. Women are at no greater risk of these injuries than men and should be allowed to take part in any sport. If a training program is suited to the level of fitness, women are no more likely than men to suffer injury. Any sports injury should be treated promptly by a doctor.
Exercise during pregnancy
One concern to women in sport is exercise during pregnancy. In this special case, pregnant women should discuss the exercise program with a doctor.
Exercise is key to good health for everyone. Women should take part in regular exercise and sport, not only for their health bt also for the pure pleasure of participation.

Women are often portrayed as sexual objects available for male consumption rather than as competitive athletes. For example, Sports Illustrated often times displays female athletes posing seductively for the camera in bikinis or little amounts of clothing. This "ideal" feminine athleticism can portray women's role in sports as passive, non-competitive, weak, and emotional. This sexy image underscores physical beauty and femininity more so than athletic skill, power, and strength.

Women also become dis-empowered by receiving less media attention, financial funding, and opportunities to different types of sports. It displays an image that women's sports or even the female version of men’s sports are not as important as men's sports and that they may not belong on the sports scene. This can also send a message that women in sports are seen as "unfeminine" and not beautiful just because they play a sport. Advances to erase this image have been made since the early 1900's and continue today. Women's equity in sports will not be fully reached until women and men receive the same opportunities, media attention, pay, and recognition. Bibliography

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Net Industries and its Licensors. (n.d.). Retrieved 11 20, 2014, from http://family.jrank.org/pages/203/Caribbean-Families-Family-Structure.html