How+Equitable+is+the+Media+Playing+Field?

Name:Madeleine Morton Student Number:n8094713 Tutor: Emily Mann

** Running like a girl or posing like an athlete- Is the media playing the fields fair? **


 * "//Sport is big business. In the fight for sponsorship and media coverage, female athletes are increasingly selling their sexuality, while the media plays along" (Marlene Jensen)// **

** Artefact **

Maria Sharpova, Amanda Beard, Anna Benson, Amy Acuff and Anna Kournikova all known for their excellent sporting talents, now seen posing in raunchy erotic positions as cover girls for magazines such as Playboy, FHM and Mayim. The competition is even bigger off the field with the media, female athletes wanting sponsorships and publicity and going to great lengths selling their sexuality not their sporting values. Majority of the magazine covers show little evidence these female athletes are even athletes, with Anna Benson and Amy Acuff slight exceptions holding sporting equipment in provocative ways.

** Public health Issue ** The media coverage of female athletes is a cause for concern as female athletes are either sexualized or non-existent in the media, this in return causes poor or lack of sporting role models for the younger population. Lack of female sporting role models could result in continuing the decline of women and girls participating in sport and contribute to the world obesity epidemic, as lack of physical activity can cause obesity and disease (Wilding, 2009).

The sexualisation of female athletes as role models has been proven to cause feeling of depression and discouragement in younger female athletes, as they felt they would never personally look like these women (Thomsen, Bower, Barnes, 2004), which may lead to the other spectrum, causing young females to develop eating disorders and body image issues.

** Literature Review ** Women and girls are at the forefront of sexualized female athletes and lack of female sporting role models, due to media coverage of female’s sport. Media coverage of female athletes on the sporting field is lacking due to the male dominance and preference of sport, therefore female athletes are using their looks instead of athleticism fighting for sponsorships and sporting media coverage; Swimmer Amanda Beard who has become widely known for her look rather than her athletic accomplishments (Daniels,2009) is just one example.

The effects of sexualized female athletes as role models in the media to younger girls in sport can be detrimental, research was conducted examining the reaction by adolescent girls to photographs the media used, that emphasised aesthetic beauty rather than athleticism (Thomsen, Bower, Barnes,2004). The research concluded with the adolescent girls having a highly critical reaction of female athletes whose clothing and poses were “too sexy” although went on to state the sexualized athletes were their sporting role models (Thomsen, Bower, Barnes, 2004). As Slater (2006) concluded that early experiences of both physical activity and media use during childhood and adolescence, play an important role in the development of adult women’s body image. For this reason the media portrayal of female athletes as sex objects that have a “perfect” body should not receive the attention of sponsorships and front covers, as in return has been proven to lead to body image issues and eating disorders in younger women as they felt they would never look like these “perfect” women (Thomsen, Bower, Barnes,2004).

Looking closer at the research between media coverage and body image, the two theories that have been heavily focused on are, social comparison and self objectification theories. Social comparison theory is a drive for self evaluation and is critical in women’s response to media-portrayed thin ideal images (Tiggermann,2008) whereas self objectification theory is that of which females take personally an observers perspective as a primary view of themselves(Gibson,2007). Relating these theories to younger females viewing media coverage of sexualized female athletes gives a better understanding of body image issues resulting from cultural, social and interpersonal elements which can lead to severe illness such as bulimia, anorexia and binge eating disorders (Treasure, 2010), this doesn’t make for happy healthy female athletes of the future. Also, Sociologists have suggested that the sexualisation of women athletes in mass media serves to reinforce patriarchal power and devalue women’s athleticism (Alper et al.,2002).

To combat the issue of female athletes being sexualized in media coverage, research has concluded that sexualisation of female athletes is not healthy, sexualized images of women athletes may send the message to girls and women that their bodies are valued as sexual objects rather than as athletic forces (Daniels,2009). Methodologies suggest the use of time, funding and encouragement for the female athletes to look athletic in media coverage instead of sexualized or perfect. Gibson (2007) suggested implication for practice would be the inclusion of educational programs to educate the coaches and athletes on the ramifications of not engaging in healthy eating and exercise habits, this could also be suggested for younger girls participating in social sport or in a school environment, to send the message media coverage of sexualized athletes is not healthy.

In 2010 the Australian Government announced to raise the profile of women’s sport in Australia, an investment of 32 million dollars, over four years, to support media coverage of female athletes and international women sporting events (ASC) with the investment in female sporting media coverage, women athletes will not have to fight for sponsorships and air time as much as present, leading to an decrease in sexualized material over time. Limitations to these methods to fully understand and address the issue of sexualized sporting role models in the media included time and if there will be consistent funding along with providing education to younger females, coaches and athlete role models on the effects of sexualized media material.

Overall, it will be the people that make the difference, supporting females in sport as much as males will make the media respond equally to both genders on the playing field and in return not push female athletes to sexualized front covers of men’s magazines for coverage or sponsorship opportunities.

** Cultural and Social Analysis ** As female athletes and sports fight for some media coverage over male sports, the sexualisation of female athletes has become popular. The preference is for male sports and therefore the media focuses majority of coverage time to male athletes, why is this? We must first understand the rich Australian culture and history behind our sports. In the 19th century the British administration encouraged a masculine culture which meant social etiquette restricted women to very little physical activity. During the 20th century sport became a means for Australia to place itself on the world stage, the want for international success outweighed sexual prejudice. Although successful sport was not equal for men and women until 1984 when the commonwealth sex discrimination act came into effect. Today, social change has occurred, and we are working towards an equal playing field with the encouragement of every age, race and gender participating in physical activity, through a range of government programs and initiatives. We have even seen encouragement for media coverage of female athletes with an enormous amount of funding, with this, the decline of sexualized female athlete role models, as athletes will be shown in the media by what they do best, playing their sport.

In our community the social groups heavily affected by seeing their sporting role models sexualized in the media, are the younger females and younger athletes as the research has proven, this type of poor media coverage has caused many girls to develop body issues or even be discouraged to participate in sport. The awareness of lacking media coverage of female athletes is notable although the awareness of the effect of women athletes fighting for media coverage by sexualizing themselves does not seem to be an apparent issue in our society. The research and studies prove that ill media coverage of female athletes is damaging although to not all in the public, the issue should be discussed and education about the issue should be publicised with public health experts focusing on the end result of such negative effects on younger girls, who look up to their favourite female sporting stars.

Female athletes, although sometimes without choice, should make a point in the public eye not to sexualize themselves and in return may gain more status for focusing on healthy media coverage of their sporting skills, which the recent funding the Australian Government has proposed will help female athletes to do this. As the federal minister for sport stated “There has been a stagnation in sport for women, however the new initiatives by the federal government will address the lack of opportunity”.

** Analysis of Artefact and Learning Reflections ** Magazine cover pages of female athletes should show their excellent sporting talents, although majority do not, the sexualisation of female athletes in the media is not just to the extent of magazine covers, through further investigation I have found sexualized female athletes in other media forms such as television commercials, print campaigns and even sporting product endorsements. The artefact shown is a selection of magazine covers picturing female athletes such as world number one tennis player, Maria Sharpova and Amanda Beard, a successful swimmer; although these women are sexualized by the media for sales and revenue, in return the female athletes, for once, receive media attention leading to sponsorships and status. Should female athletes have to sexualize themselves to receive what many male athletes receive without sexualizing themselves in media? I think not.

As a female athlete myself, the research of such detrimental effects of female athletes being sexualized in the media, such as causing body image issues and discouraged feelings by younger females, I would never portray myself in such a way that a younger female looking for a sporting role model thinks they would never be as “perfect” as the airbrushed front cover of a magazine. This is a really important issue to address so we can build a more positive female sporting culture through education to coaches, athletes and the media. Along with education, I suggest with consistent funding for female sports media coverage, sexualized media images will not be as popular for female athletes to build their sporting career, as they have coverage of them actually being athletes and sports people.

**//"Search for Anna Kournikova on one Internet search engine and //** **// you will be presented with 491,000 hits and links to homepages //** **// across the world. You can purchase her pin up calendar, watch //** **// the video she recently made with her new boyfriend Ricky Iglecias //** **// and even be lucky enough to contract a computer virus named //** **// after her. The pop band 'Binge' has a song about Kournikova" //** **// -Towards a level playing Field //** 

** References **

Alper, L., King, K. (Producers), & Jhally, S. (Director). (2002). //Playing unfair: The media image// //of the female athlete// [Motion picture]. United States: Media Education Foundation.

Australian Sporting Commission (2010). //Towards a Level Playing Field: sport and gender in Australian media report.// Retrieved from []

Elizabeth Daniels(01/07/2009). "Sex Objects, Athletes, and Sexy Athletes". Journal of adolescent research(0743-5584), //24//(4), 399.

Gibson, Ashley Kristin(01/02/2007). The influence of sports magazines and thin-ideal images on the body image of Division IA female athletes(9780549331926). Retrieved from Proquest Dissertations and Theses database

Jensen, M.(2002). Sex Appeal or Talent. //Play The Game Organisation//. Retrieved from []

Polivy, J(01/01/2010). "Upward and Downward : Social Comparison Processing of Thin Idealized Media Images ". Psychology of women quarterly(0361-6843), 34(3), 356.

Thomsen, S. R., Bower, D. W., & Barnes, M. D. (2004). Photographic images in women’s health, fitness, and sports magazines and the physical self-concept of a group of adolescent female volleyball players. //Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 28//, 266-283.

Tiggemann, Marika(31/05/2008). "The Effect of Thin Ideal Media Images on Women’s Self-Objectification, Mood, and Body Image". Sex roles(0360-0025), 58(9), 649.

Slater, Amy(01/07/2006). "The contribution of physical activity and media use during childhood and adolescence to adult women's body image". Journal of health psychology(1359-1053), //11//(4), 553.

Treasure, Janet(13/02/2010). "Eating disorders". The Lancet (British edition)(0140-6736), 375(9714),583.

Wilding, John P H(06/11/2009). "Obesity". GP (London, England : 1994)(0268-8417), 35.


 * Comments **
 * I update my Facebook first thing in the morning..(Defining Gen Y~Nela Ivkovic) **

A very well research and interesting Wiki ! I am proud to be generation Y, as the amount of opportunity we have had and will have is great! Looking at Table A, showing the guide to teaching Australian generations, I find it interesting the "Lucky generation" was during the time of the Great Depression, don’t think this is very lucky at all ! Sad to read that 47% of generations Y's were not participating in physical activity as they lacked interest and then the majority went on to complete their education in technology. It will be very interesting to see how technology will affect other generations in the future?


 * We are almost Equal on the playing Field.. (Women on the Field~Kenneth Elumba) **

A great topic Kenneth ! Very well researched and interesting statistics on the slight improvement of women’s sporting media coverage. One day we will be equal on the field as women in sports is growing gradually. I particularly am interested in your artefact, a great clip with a lot of information surrounding your topic. Funny to see the proof that "hitting like a girl" is not an insult, women in sport are just as strong or sometimes stronger then male athletes, yet we don't have the media coverage ! Once again this is a great topic to address ! Awesome work !