The+World+of+Yesterday,+Today.+Womens+Fight+for+Equality+in+Sport

**Student Number:** n8096589 **Tutor:** Judith Meiklejohn
 * Name: **Brianna Hancock

**“Sport is the nectar that nurtures the masculine self.” **

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Taken from the hit comedy show Family Guy, this clip presents the way that women are portrayed in the sports media today in a comical fashion. It presents the many of the issues that women face in the sporting world and in sports media in a light hearted way, touching on subjects such as the femininity of female athletes, the popularity of female sports, the perception of the inferior sporting skills of women and the small amount of money that is typically made by female athletes.

**Public Health Issue ** The sporting world has traditionally been a male dominated one. Even now, with our western values of equality for all, males still hold the reigns in the sporting arena (Raney & Bryant, 2006, p20). This inequality has created a culture where in order to be successful, female athletes have allowed themselves to be marketed on the basis of their looks, surrendering to the old advertising rule of “sex sells” (Bissell & Duke, 2008). In sports media, female sports casters are working extremely hard as they attempt to prove their knowledge and their dedication to sports, traits that are automatically awarded to their male counterparts (Grubbs & Billiot, 2010). This sexualisation of women’s sport is devaluing its importance and the lack of female sporting commentators and sports casters is reinforcing the masculine culture that surrounds sport (Grubbs & Billiot, 2010; Raney & Bryant, 2006, p247).

**Literature Review ** It is a rarity to be listening to sports coverage on the radio or watching a sporting match on TV and hear a female commentator’s voice, however little research has been done into the number of female sports commentators there are. However, in 2008 Lapchick, Little, Mathew and Zahn of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics (TIDES) composed the Racial and Gender Report Card of the Associated Press Sports Editors which reviewed the racial and gender spread of sports columnists, editors and reporters across 378 press websites and newspapers and a total of 5,200 positions. The results showed that 94% of sports editors and columnists and 91% of sports journalists were male. It is obvious from these statistics that women are not being represented equally in sports commentary. Bruce (2004) in his analysis of televised sports commentary explains that most sports commentators are typically males who are past athletes in that particular sport. In 2006 the ABC, who televises the most women’s sport in Australia, dedicated 1/3 of their national televised sports to women’s sport (Bartlett, 2009). In the same year, Fox Sports, which covers sports 24 hours a day, dedicated 10 percent of their viewing time to women’s sport and no other commercial free-to-air networks were willing to provide data on this topic (Bartlett, 2009). Considering these factors, it could be concluded that women will not be seen as qualified for sports commentary, due to the little airtime women’s sports receive in relation to the expected qualities of a sports commentator. Unfortunately, there is very little research into why there are more male sports commentators than female, however many feminist theorists agree that the continued predominance of males in sports media over the past ten years is a sign of the male struggle to maintain power and preserve the traditional values that sport is a masculine activity (Coakley & Dunning, 2006). If we are to try to redress this issue, more research needs to be done regarding why males are seen as more qualified for these positions, and what social values we hold that allow us to feel this way. The portrayal of sportswomen in the media has drawn many opinions and has been the topic of much research over the past ten years. The sexualisation of sportswomen has been the topic of much of this discussion, with spades of research finding that women are much more likely to be objectified and judged on their looks rather than their sporting ability than men (Raney & Bryant, 2006, p20). In a study of the sexualisation and emphasis on femininity in female sport, Mean and Kassing (2008) conducted research around professional female soccer players. Data was collected by observing training, coaching and games and by conducting interviews with the players to gain an understanding of their perceived role as a female athlete. The findings suggested that these athletes felt the need to “prove” their femininity by distancing themselves from feminist theory and succumbing to the idea that to become a respected athlete as a female, you must behave in a feminine way and appear physically attractive (Mean& Kassings, 2008). The media has a large role in the sexualisation of female sports and female athletes. In their analysis of the commentary and camera angles used in the 2004 Olympic beach volleyball matches, Bissell and Duke (2008) found that although the commentary did not use gender stereotyping or make attempt to sexualise the athletes, the camera angles that were used were certainly aimed at achieving this type of sexualisation. The findings showed that the amount of shots of the chest and buttocks shown in a game constantly remained more than that of full body shots or face shots, usually in the realm of 70% buttocks and chest shots compared with 30% face and full body shots. Many sportswomen continue to objectify themselves by appearing in men’s magazines in little to no clothing, allowing themselves to be sexualised in an attempt to generate more media coverage for themselves and their sport. In order to determine how these athletes are framed in sporting magazines, Nicely (2007) conducted a study that included an analysis of three sports magazines containing female athletes. All of these texts surrounding the female athletes contained themes of mental weakness, motherhood, celebrity, sisterhood and male reference and mentioned little of their athleticism and dedication to their sport, and all were accompanied by pictures of the athletes scantily clad with no or little representation of their sport (Nicely, 2007). All of these perceived traits work to enhance the impression of the inferiority of female athletes when compared to their male counterparts, however these athletes attempt to enhance the perception of these “feminine” traits to increase their popularity and male following in an attempt to increase their media coverage (Nicely, 2007). All of this research demonstrates that gender discrimination occurs in all areas of the sporting world, and that sportswomen are objectified and sexualised in an attempt to “sell” themselves as a sportsperson. However, none of these studies really attempt to understand why this discrimination occurs, or what social factors are influencing its occurrence. In order to redress this issue, attempts need to be made to identify the social and cultural factors that determine the perceived differences between male and female sportspeople.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Cultural and Social Analysis ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">A modern feminist would argue that discrimination based on sex occurs in the sporting world because of the long fought battle of men to maintain a position of power and uphold the stigma of masculinity in sport (Coakley & Dunning, 2006). However Burke (2001) argues that discrimination based on gender in sport is heavily linked to the patriarchal society in which that sport takes place and the clear definition society has created of what constitutes a man and what constitutes a woman. Burke (2001) also states that the emphasis on how women should act, dress and look as opposed to their male equivalents creates a perception that they are inferior in their sporting knowledge and abilities and are likely labelled unfeminine, particularly when participating in a male dominated sport <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Both of these arguments are closely linked, the first is an overview of why this discrimination is occurring and the second explains the underpinning social and cultural determinants that are allowing this to occur. The importance of Burke’s argument is that it highlights the role that societal norms play in the sexualisation and discrimination that occur in sports and in the portrayal of women in sports media. When consideration is given to the expectations that society places on women to be feminine in order to gain social acceptance it seems logical that in a masculine environment, such as the sporting arena, females would strive to appear more feminine. It is important to understand the major role that society plays in the sexualisation and discrimination of women in sport and how the significance placed on gender and normality by society affects how women are portrayed in sport if this issue is to be redressed. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The issue of gender discrimination and the sexualisation of women in sport effects all sportswomen and women involved in sports media regardless of their athletic ability, knowledge, age or achievements (Cunningham, 2008). Although women’s participation as top level athletes was previously seen as a positive step towards women’s liberation, the sexualisation of these female athletes now works against the beliefs of this group, stunting the movement towards sexual equality (Ware, 2011). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">It is important for individuals to be aware of the unequal treatment of top level female athletes. Equality is something that Australians are passionate about, however in sport there is a genuine lack of equality between men and women. This can be seen simply by observing the small number of female commentators used during popular sporting matches and by the airtime given to women’s sports. Importantly, the sexualisation of women in sporting magazines and in the media deserves immediate attention. By placing importance on the looks of a sportswomen rather than her sporting credentials and achievements objectifies women and creates the impression that women’s sport is neither serious nor important (Ware, 2011). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">With regards to Burke’s argument, if the issue of the sexualisation and discrimination of women is to be redressed, this issue would need to take place at a societal level. Attention would need to be given to breaking down the clearly defined roles of being a man and of being a women so that sportswomen, who cannot be defined within these terms, do not feel the need to prove their femininity by allowing themselves to be sexualised.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Artefact Analysis and My Own Learning Reflections ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Although presented in a comical fashion, this Family Guy clip is truly representative of many people’s perception of sportswomen in our society today. It makes a point of stating the little amount of money that sportswomen receive, the perception that they have lesser skills than males and highlights the very little attention that is given to women’s sport. Importantly, this clip makes a statement about the perceived unattractiveness of sportswomen. This is extremely relevant to the topic of the sexualisation of female sportspeople as it is this very perception that is involved in the willingness of female athletes to sell themselves on their attractiveness rather than their skills in an attempt to prove their femininity, as was found in Mean and Kassings (2008) study previously discussed. Personally I believe that although this clip was created for amusement, it raises the issues that I have discussed very effectively. That a show as commercial and popular as Family Guy is attending to this issue, be it comical or not, shows that this issue is not going unrecognised and this is definitely beneficial for the fight for women’s equality in sport. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The knowledge I have acquired whilst researching this issue has been extremely confronting. Although I was aware of the issue of inequality in the sporting world, the amount of sexualisation that occurs in the sporting media was quite staggering. Due to the information and perspective I have gained from completing this assessment I have become better informed and more knowledgeable on this issue and have genuinely taken a bigger interest in this cause. Importantly, undertaking this assessment has taught me to take an involved interest in societal issues and to research and critically analyse information that I hear or see in order to gain an informed opinion. This new skill will be extremely beneficial for me not only throughout my future studies but throughout the rest of my life.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Comments on PUB209 Student Pages ** **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Title: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Great Wiki! **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Comments: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">You have made some really convincing arguments here and your artefact is great. I completely agree that the portrayal of sportswomen in the media is having a negative impact on women of all ages. I also think an important issue to consider is the young age of the female sportswomen that are shown in the media, as opposed to men like David Beckham in their thirties who are still idolised for their sporting abilities. If more mature women were shown in sports media this would send a more positive message that sport is not just for young women, which could have a major impact on women’s health. Fantastic job on your wiki, it really got me thinking! **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Page: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Genuine or Genuine Photo Opportunity – The truth about closing the gap **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Title: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Very thought provoking! **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Comments: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> When I first heard about the close the gap campaign I must admit I was very relieved that the government was finally making some positive efforts to improve the dire state of aboriginal health. What seemed a little bit strange was that they were going to send in a whole lot of health professionals from the cities, who are presumable predominantly white, to try and achieve this. What seems to be lacking in our government is cultural sensitivity. I completely agree with the research you have found that suggests if this campaign was led by leaders within aboriginal communities it would be more successful. I think until the government attempts to understand aboriginal culture and the norms that exist within their society no campaigns that they try will be particularly successful. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">This is an excellent wiki page, it provided a lot of confronting information and definitely made me think about this issue which so relevant in our society today.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Page: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Anything you can do, I can do BETTER!

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">References **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Bartlett, A. (2009). Women’s Sport and the Media. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Bissell, K. L., & Duke, A. M. (2008). Bump, Set, Spike: An Analysis of Commentary and Camera Angles of Women's Beach Volleyball During the 2004 Summer Olympics. //Journal for promotion management, 13//(1/2), 35-51. Retrieved from []_

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Bruce, T. (2004). M<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">arking the boundaries of the 'normal' in televised sports. //Media, culture and society, 26//(6), 871-876. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Burke, M. (2001). Sport and traditions of feminist theory. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Coakley, J., & Dunning, E. (2006). //Handbook of sports studies.// Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Grubb, M. V., & Billiot, T. (2010). Women sportscasters: navigating a masculine domain. //Journal of Gender Studies, 19//(1), 87-92. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Cunningham, G. B. (2008). Creating and sustaining gender diversity in sport organisations. //Sex roles, 58//(1), 136-145. doi 10.1007/s11199-007-9312-3

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Lapchick, R., Little, E., Mathew, R., & Jessica, Z. (2008). The 2008 racial and gender reportcard of the associated press sports editors//.// Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Mean, J., & Kassing, J. W. (2008). “I Would Just Like to be Known as an Athlete”:Managing Hegemony, Femininity, and Heterosexuality in Female Sport. //Western Journal of Communication, 72//(2), 126-144. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Nicely, S. (2007). Media Framing of Female Athletes and Women's Sports in Selected Sports Magazines. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Raney, A. A., & Bryant, J. (2006). //Handbook of sports and media// [EBL version]. Retrieved from [|http://reader.eblib.com.au.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/(S(3gmjl0ag5svz45tbohu5eqjn))/eader.aspx?p=425288&o=96&u=1M5ljFU%2f7zZ2rKeg1v5Mjw%3d%3d&t=131881325&h=922465016B4D719E1107D6C2CA76A7B1C6C94711&s=4986772&ut=25&pg=1&r=img&c=-1&pat=n#]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Ware, S. (2011). //Game, set, match. Billie Jean King, title IX, and the revolution in womens sports.// Columbia, SC: The University of North Carolina Press.