By Leda Turpen
For the majority of my life, I have participated in and found immense amounts of joy in playing
sports. As many people can relate to, sports are an escape from the outside pressures of
the world, and a way in which many athletes can confide in something they are passionate
about. Although, for women in particular, being an athlete can bring about many false
assumptions and stereotypes that create a difficult environment for female athletes to not only
participate in, but enjoy. Not to mention, this idea is extremely prominent in regards to
sports. As many people can relate to, sports are an escape from the outside pressures of
the world, and a way in which many athletes can confide in something they are passionate
about. Although, for women in particular, being an athlete can bring about many false
assumptions and stereotypes that create a difficult environment for female athletes to not only
participate in, but enjoy. Not to mention, this idea is extremely prominent in regards to
sportswomen and media representation. I argue that there is indeed unequal representation
between genders in the sports media realm and that this misrepresentation is specifically
related to the hypersexualization of sportswomen under sports media platforms.
related to the hypersexualization of sportswomen under sports media platforms.
Female athletes are confined to certain standards and stereotypes of how they are supposed
to look, act, and play. In a study that observed the patterns and disproportionate levels of
traditional media coverage between male and female athletes, there is empirical evidence that
sportswomen are significantly more likely to be portrayed in ways that emphasize their
femininity and heterosexuality rather than their athletic prowess (Bruce, 2016).
Specifically, men are portrayed as athletic exploits while women are hypersexualized. Due to
the narrow range of constraints and discursive possibilities for sportswomen, sports and
masculinity play a decisive role which ultimately leads to the difficulty of representing sports
women within the norms of sports coverage. Bruce supports this analysis by giving an
example from a 6 week analysis of ESPN and sports news on three LA television network
programs. The researchers found that sports news producers in 2009 appeared to hold a
“foundational assumption” that “men want to think of women as sexual objects of desire
or perhaps as mothers, but not as powerful, competitive athletes” (Bruce, 2016).
Unfortunately, if a woman whose profession is in sports media works with a counterpart that
believes this assumption, her job as a woman and athlete is automatically undermined.
to look, act, and play. In a study that observed the patterns and disproportionate levels of
traditional media coverage between male and female athletes, there is empirical evidence that
sportswomen are significantly more likely to be portrayed in ways that emphasize their
femininity and heterosexuality rather than their athletic prowess (Bruce, 2016).
Specifically, men are portrayed as athletic exploits while women are hypersexualized. Due to
the narrow range of constraints and discursive possibilities for sportswomen, sports and
masculinity play a decisive role which ultimately leads to the difficulty of representing sports
women within the norms of sports coverage. Bruce supports this analysis by giving an
example from a 6 week analysis of ESPN and sports news on three LA television network
programs. The researchers found that sports news producers in 2009 appeared to hold a
“foundational assumption” that “men want to think of women as sexual objects of desire
or perhaps as mothers, but not as powerful, competitive athletes” (Bruce, 2016).
Unfortunately, if a woman whose profession is in sports media works with a counterpart that
believes this assumption, her job as a woman and athlete is automatically undermined.
In accordance with this idea, Bruce (2016) acknowledges that it is the most visible differences
in representations that have attracted attention, all of which have been interpreted as
negatively marketing women’s sport or sports women as ‘other’. This tendency is perhaps
most evident in an early analysis of Olympic images in U.S. magazines. In these pictures,
the media portrays “the most glamorous female athletes” and occasionally shows women
in poses that replicate “soft-core pornography” (p. 364). This reflects back on how societal
constraints imply that sportswomen can be pretty OR powerful, but most certainly not both.
Bruce (2016) gives examples of this theme in other examples of media that have been
titled, “athlete or sex symbol”, and “athlete or sexual plaything” (p. 364).
in representations that have attracted attention, all of which have been interpreted as
negatively marketing women’s sport or sports women as ‘other’. This tendency is perhaps
most evident in an early analysis of Olympic images in U.S. magazines. In these pictures,
the media portrays “the most glamorous female athletes” and occasionally shows women
in poses that replicate “soft-core pornography” (p. 364). This reflects back on how societal
constraints imply that sportswomen can be pretty OR powerful, but most certainly not both.
Bruce (2016) gives examples of this theme in other examples of media that have been
titled, “athlete or sex symbol”, and “athlete or sexual plaything” (p. 364).
Consequently, all female athletes, despite whether or not they are represented on a media
platform, are confined to a single identity that is either an athlete or as a sex object.
The media consistently illustrates these women as one characterization or another,
and emphasizes the hypersexualization of athletic women. In essence, when media platforms
focus on females during participation, rather than focusing on their athletic abilities, these
networks focus on the arousing potential of their female bodies (Bruce, 2016).
As a result, our patriarchal society’s sexploitation of women is seen as a way for people to
objectify women’s bodies, thus leading us to identify them as athletes OR sex objects,
but never just an athlete.
platform, are confined to a single identity that is either an athlete or as a sex object.
The media consistently illustrates these women as one characterization or another,
and emphasizes the hypersexualization of athletic women. In essence, when media platforms
focus on females during participation, rather than focusing on their athletic abilities, these
networks focus on the arousing potential of their female bodies (Bruce, 2016).
As a result, our patriarchal society’s sexploitation of women is seen as a way for people to
objectify women’s bodies, thus leading us to identify them as athletes OR sex objects,
but never just an athlete.
Although I do not experience the negative effects that women in sports media experience
because of how they are represented to the public eye, I can attest to
feeling as if I cannot identify as both a female and an athlete at times. Because of the way
in which media portrays female athletes, we are being told that we must choose one
identity over the other in order to avoid stereotypes or assumptions.
because of how they are represented to the public eye, I can attest to
feeling as if I cannot identify as both a female and an athlete at times. Because of the way
in which media portrays female athletes, we are being told that we must choose one
identity over the other in order to avoid stereotypes or assumptions.
References
Bruce, T. (2016). New rules for new times: Sportswomen and media representation in the third wave. Sex Roles, 74(7-8), 361-376. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11199-015-0497-6
Word Count: 642
Keywords: Hypersexualization, Misrepresentation, Sportswomen, Athletes
Leda,
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you leverage your personal interest in sport to this thoughtful discussion of media representation of female athletes. The issue came to the fore recently with tennis champion Serena Williams' return to the game following the birth of her first child.
Some of this is quite good. For instance, you've located and made good use of Bruce's study of sports coverage of female athletes. A bit more detail on the methods would help, but for our purposes here, it supports your discussion.
I'm especially glad you made certain to include a thesis in your essay. That's good practice and will serve you well in this and other course work. That said, this thesis statement could be stated with greater clarity.
Conversely, toward the end of your post, you seem to be restating some of your earlier comments. Instead, you want to expand and refine your argument. Again, this takes time. Like athletes, we need to practice and do drills to keep sharp.
In the meantime, I want you to focus on your written expression. Some of your sentences are confusing or wordy. Equally important, you're use of punctuation in and around quotes is incorrect. And you're missing a page reference in the first quote from Bruce.
Perhaps a visit or two to the Writing Center will help you improve your writing and proof reading.
Finally, your post doesn't conform to our "house style." Please review the style guide and revise accordingly. In particular, there's no need to list keywords in your post.
Rather, use labels in blogger. This way we can leverage the search function and locate essays that take up common issues, concerns, and concepts.
26/30 pts.