Women+in+Sports+LOL

Name: Casey Evans Student Number: N7155743 Tutorial: 11am - 12pm Tutor: Katie Page

**__ RUNNING LIKE A GIRL: __****__ How __****__ Equitable is the Playing Field when it comes to Women in Sport? __**         media type="youtube" key="bLbWVpXrgTo" height="315" width="420"    **//Is this virtual representation of female athletes an exaggeration //** **//of how they are viewed in reality??? //**  

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">This YouTube clip is the commercial for the Xbox game Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball. The game was released in 2003 by Tecmo and has Mature rating due to sexually explicit digital graphics of women playing beach volleyball in tiny bikini’s. In this video clip small framed, large breasted women are seen playing beach volleyball in revealing swimsuits. After scoring points the women can seen performing sexually suggestive victory dances. The commercial also flashes back to the group of adolescent boys who are playing the video game. The flash backs show gawking and mesmerised facial expressions from the male adolescents as well as them placing pillows over their laps. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> The question that arises from this videogame is whether or not it exaggerates how female athletes are portrayed in society. Many current female athletes have been represented in a variety of forms of media as sexualised objects. It seems to be the current notion that female athletes need to pose in scantily clad outfits in sexually suggestive poses to gain media attention or funding for their sport. The concern for sexploitation, is that the value of the female athletes is judged primarily determined by her body type and attractiveness, rather than for the qualities that define her as an athlete. Sexploitation of female athletes may also affect younger athletes, whose self-confidence may be less secure and lead towards the development of poor self image. There is a wealth of research linking poor body image with increased risk of disordered eating behaviors (Australian Sports Commission, 2000). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 24px;">Artefact Analysis **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Current findings suggest that approximately 26% of Australia’s total population are involved in organised sports and physical activity, this includes both in playing roles or in non playing roles. Males were more likely than females to be involved in both playing and non playing roles (ABS, 2010).Research has noted that during adolescence boys and girls adopt more rigid notions about gender roles. So boys start to perceive they are more masculine and females perceive themselves to be more feminine. At this point research has shown an increase in self esteem for males but a decrease in self esteem for females due to females feeling the social pressures to fit the more stereotypical feminine gender type for appearance. Females who considered themselves to be more feminine have lower levels of perceived athletic competence which has been consider to be a major influence the dropout rates of adolescents females in sports and physical activity (Bowker, 2003). The need for strong positive female athlete role models is needed to help young adolescent females gain self confidence and stay active. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">If not his may have an impact on public health as physical inactivity is considered to be the leading risk factor contributing to preventable illnesses and morbidity among women in Australia, a reduction in females involvement in sports could have an major impact on our public health. With the increase in prevalence of in diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis, depression, some forms of cancer, and injury among older people (The Senate, 2006). It is estimated that these that the cost of illnesses that have been attributed to physical inactivity is approximately 377 million dollars per year (Stephenson et. al, 2000). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Gender inequality is prevalent in most aspects of society. However inequality between women and men in sports is heightened due to the close association between the attributes required for sport along with its association of traditional concepts of stereotypical masculinity (Darlison, 2000). Media has also been considered to be responsible for the evolution of gender inequality in sports. Media has long been regarded as the most influential medium in shaping the attitudes of the consumer and reinforcing the status quo (Greendorfer, Shanker & Blinde, 1991). Females athletes receive considerable less media coverage than their male counterparts and are often sexually objectified by the media (Koivula, 1999). Research has shown that commentators and broadcasters typically use terms such “ladies” and “girls” to describe female athletes which suggest they are fragile and young. In contrast male athletes male athletes are very rarely referred to as “gentlemen” or “boys” (Speer, 2001). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Current statistics on media coverage of women’s sports compared to men’s show that male only sports receive 95.1% of total radio sport coverage, 56.2% of total television sports coverage and 79.1% of total sports newspaper sports coverage. Comparing this to female sprts which receive 1.4% of total radio sport coverage, 2% of total television sports coverage and 10.7% of total sports newspaper sports coverage. There was also a third category of mixed sports represented in this study which receive the remainder of the media attention (NSW government, 1996). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Research has focused on identifying key factor as to why women receive less media coverage. Key factors include the lack of exposure for women's sports, which is suggested to impede its ability to gain a faithful audience and furthermore that women lack importance in the wider sports landscape. Research has also identified that the persistent low production quality of women's sports helps promotes the notion that female athletes are inferior to men (Hardmen & Whiteside, 2011). As men and women have found to differ in the content they view on television during their leisure time Hardmen and Whiteside (2011) looked at the behaviours surrounding women’s viewership of televised sport. In this study 19 married women were recruited to take part in a focus group regarding their attitudes to viewership of both women’s and men’s sports on television. The results of this study suggested that the majority of the women in the focus groups only watched televised sports as means for spending time with their husbands. So therefore the sports the women were most likely going to watch were reflected of their husbands preferences. The results also suggested that women who watched sport were less interested in watching women play sports that were considered to be “gender inappropriate” but expressed some interest in women’s sports that were consider to be gender appropriate. This finding was reflective in media coverage as a study by Vincent and colleagues (2003) found that the majority of media coverage received by women’s sports was for sports that were considered to be gender appropriate. The main limitation to this study was that the women were fell in the same social class and were all married which makes the results of this study not a true reflection of society. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Women have often been framed within stereotypes which highlight appearance and attractiveness rather than their athletic ability. Some research has suggest that sexualisation of female athletes degrades their athletic legitimacy, and by doing so preserves the traditional stereotypical concept of masculinity in sports (Bernstein, 2002). Billings (2001) identified that female athletes received more commentary comments about their appearance compared to the men which more focused on their athletic ability. A study by Daniel (2009) examine the impact of sexualised versus performance-focused images of female athletes on adolescent girls and young women. 350 adolescent girls and 225 college women completed a measure of body objectification questionnaire after viewing an array of photographs of females athletes. It included photographs that were both performance based and sexualised images of the athletes. The results of this study showed significantly less body dissatisfaction of the participants when reviewing performance based photographs of female athletes compared to a high body dissatisfaction scores for sexualised photographs. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">We currently still live a male dominated society, where men hold the majority of seats on boarders or in powerful positions. How male and female athletes are perceived are a reflection of society. The portrayal of women in sport impacts the way women are perceived in society. Historically women have been marginalised from sports, aging back to the ancient Olympics women were not allowed even to watch sporting competitions, much less compete as athletes. It wasn’t until the late nineteenth and early twentieth century’s that women started competing. In today’s society women have had the privilege to participate the majority of sports due to movements of the feminist action dating back since the 18th century (Bandy, 2005). However inequality between male and female sports exists. There is still the notion that it’s acceptable for women to participate in sports that are considered to be gender appropriate but not masculine sports that are still considered gender inappropriate (Vincent et al, 2003). Furthermore female athletes still not receive the appropriate recognition for their achievements and athletic abilities. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Lack of women equality in sports has the potential to have a significant impact on young adolescent girls in our society. Research has shown that young females being exposed to sexualisation of female athletes has lead to increase levels of body dissatisfaction for this age group. It has also been noted that at this age group females are more likely to have lower levels of self esteem which affects their confidents in their athletic ability. Without the positive images of female athletes these young girls don’t have the appropriate role models to look up to. Therefore to prevent this from happening both the media and government need to work together to help create a more positive representation of female athletes in our society. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">** Analysis of artefact and own learning perceptions ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 24px;">Public Health Issue **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 24px;">Literature review **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 24px;">Cultural and social Analysis **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">On researching why there is inequality I sports I discovered that a large portion of the literature focussed on the media having a large influence. The media has both marginalised women in sports by both limiting their coverage and sexually objectifying female athletes. As the research has stated that the typical male view point of women sports is that is inferior to men’s therefore opt not support it. Females have also been shown by research to opt not to watch sports due to disinterest, and the majority of sport they did view was reflective of what their partners were watching. This lead me to come to the conclusion that the majority of people are preferring to watch male sports over female sports. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">So base on this I started to think why is there inequality in media coverage between male and female sports. The media is reflection of traditional cultural mainstream views and therefore target their product at these types of consumers because it’s going to make them the most money. This just so happens to be the preference of male sports over female sports (Cohen, 1993). Research has aludes to a vicous cylce occuring where reduce media coverage leads to decreased revenue for the sport, the reduction in funding then causes poor developement of the sport, which result in less support for the sport which further decreases media coverge. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">In order for women to gain media attention to stop this viscious cycle they need to make themselves appeal to the audience with the most mainstream point of views in regards to sports. Which research has suggested are males (Hardmen et al, 2011). So in order for them to appeal to this audience female athletes are subhjected to being portrayed as sexualised objects by the media in order to gain exposure and recognition and funding for themselves and their sport. This has an impact on society as now we are strating to takeaway the focaus on female athletes sporting achievements and athletic abilities and instead focus on their physical appeal. This has remafactions for younger female athletes as society see’s them sex symbols and inturn may deter female’s from particapting in sporting events or encourage body image issues. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">** Reference List ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Australian Bureau of Statistics (2010)//.// Involvement in Organised Sport and Physical Activity, Australia, Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Australian Parliament House (2006) Women in Sport and Recreation in Australia//.// Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Australian Sports Commission (2000) Sexploitation, retrieve from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Bandy, S. (2005). Frome Women in Sport to Cultural Critique: A review of books about Women in Sports and Physical Culture. Women's studies quarterly(0732-1562), 33(1/2), 246-261.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Bernstein, A. (2002). Is it time for a victory lap?: Changes in the media coverage of women in sport. //International Review for the Sociology of Sport//, //37// (3-4), 415-428.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Billings, A., & Eastman, S.(2001). Biased voices of sports: racial and gender stereotyping in college basketball announcing. The Howard journal of communications(1064-6175), 12(4), 183-201.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Bowker, A., Gadbois, S., & [|Cornock, B.](2003). Sports participation and self-esteem: Variations as a function of gender and gender role orientation. Sex roles(0360-0025), 49(1), 47 - 58

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Cohen, G. (1993). Media portrayal of the female athlete. //Women in sport: Issues and controversies.// 171-184.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Daniels, E. (2009). Journal of Adolescent Research: Sex objects, athletes and sexy athletes: How media representations of women athletes can impact adolescent girls and college women. Youth studies Australia(1038-2569), 28(3), 62.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Darlison, E(2000). Sex role and sports. Der Orthopäde(0085-4530), 29(11), p.957.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Greendorfer, S., Shanker, R., & Blinde, E. (1991). Differential Media Coverage of Men's and Women's Intercollegiate Basketball: Reflection of Gender Ideology. Journal of sport and social issues(0193-7235), 15(2), 98-114

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Hardin,M., & Whitside, E.(2011). Women (Not) Watching Women: Leisure Time, Television, and Implications for Televised Coverage of Women's Sports. Communication, culture & critique(1753-9129), 4(2), 122-143.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Koivula, N.(1999). Gender Stereotyping in Televised Media Sport Coverage. Sex roles(0360-0025), 41(7), 589- 604.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">NSW government department (1996) Media Coverage in Women’s Sports retrieved from: []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Speer, S.(2001). Sports Media and Gender Inequality. Body & society(1357-034X), 7(1), 109-114.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Stephenson, J. (2000) The Costs of Illness Attributable to Physical Inactivity in Australia Commonwealth Department of Health & Aged Care and the ASC

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Vincent, J., Imwold, C., Johnson, J, T., & Massey, C. D. (2003). Newspaper coverage of female athletes competing in selected sports in the Centennial Olympic games. //Women in Sport & Physical Activity Journal, 12// (1), 1-21. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">