My Art My Rules

Shields Strikes Back is a powerful image that has earned recognition from various prestigious awards, such as the World Press Photo Award, the Istanbul Photo Award, the Smithsonian Magazine American Experience Award, and the International Photography Award. The Guardian also named it one of the 50 images that reshaped sport in 2023. The photo captures the moment of Claressa Shields, a two-time Olympic champion and a trailblazer for women’s boxing, rising from a knock-down by Hanna Gabriels in her quest to become the Greatest Woman Of All Time. Claressa is not only fighting in the ring but also outside of it, challenging the inequality and stereotypes that women in combat sports face. She is overcoming multiple barriers that are amplified by her race and gender.

The pay gap between men and women, especially black women, is a well-known issue in many fields. However, in sports, this gap is even more extreme. For example, the highest-paid female basketball player in the WNBA earns only a fraction of what the lowest-paid male player in the NBA makes. The US women’s soccer team had to sue FIFA for equal pay, despite generating more revenue and having a better record than the men’s team. They still receive only a fifth of what their male counterparts earn.