The Way the Media Portrays Female Athletes Absolutely Needs to Change
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As much as people would like to believe society has made incredible strides in promoting gender equality, a glance at the sports page in your local newspaper probably tells a far different tale. If you see one full story dedicated to cis, trans, or gender-nonconforming women in sports, consider yourself fortunate.
Even when news outlets do feature female athletes, it often reinforces negative and outdated stereotypes. The problem goes deeper than a failure to communicate. The messages people hear colors everything from public policy to the dreams individual young people have for their futures.
This is what needs to change.
Imagine if people referred to the National Basketball Association (NBA) as the Men’s National Basketball Association.
While it may seem picky — after all, the NBA did exist before the board of governors approved the female division back in 1996 — the language matters. It reinforces the idea that men’s sports are primary while women’s are secondary.
Such distinctions extend beyond labeling women’s leagues as such. In researching a professional golf event, announcers used gendered language over four times more when covering women’s events than men’s. The subtle verbal slight reinforces the idea that gender matters more than athletic prowess, diminishing the hard work and sacrifice these athletes make.
Recently, Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed a ban on transgender women from participating in sports in public schools and colleges. But what really makes someone classify as female or male in the world of sports? You might instinctively respond by describing the genitals, but these organs aren’t necessarily indicative of gender. Nor is a chromosomal pair alone enough to make someone male or female.
Such legislation isn’t new in America, but it puts an entire generation of women at a disadvantage. Many young athletes look to sports to obtain scholarships to pursue their future ambitions. Likewise, recruiters often visit public schools and colleges to find new professional players.
Such rulings also disadvantage those who identify as the gender listed on their birth certificate. Even though people of both genders come in all shapes and sizes and physical abilities, such legislation reinforces the erroneous belief that women are not powerful and capable athletes in their own right.
Pick up a copy of your local paper and flip to the sports section. Chances are, you won’t see a female face gracing the front page of it.
According to the LA84 Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to equality in playtime, women’s sports stories made up only 3.5% of the stories in four newspapers, while men’s coverage took up 81%.
The lack of coverage isn’t occurring because female athletes are sitting on the sidelines. They’re very much active — but they don’t get the press they deserve. One example — news of a giant corn dog that cost $25 at an Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game took precedence over women’s competitions.
How insulting is it to women who spend countless gym hours training to make less of a splash than a corndog? Part of the problem hinges around the folks providing the coverage.
Women’s sports may lack coverage because fewer females than males report on athletic news. According to Data USA, over three-quarters of sports announcers in the U.S. are male.
Women working in the field often face rampant sexism in the workplace. Those who do succeed as female sportscasters get told they only achieved their posts because of their looks or receive barbs to “get back in the kitchen.”
The way the media portrays female athletes needs to change to reflect the reality that women are every bit as capable as their male counterparts. The things we hear about — and don’t — drives public perception and policy.
About the author: Mia Barnes is a freelance writer primarily covering topics related to women's mental and physical wellness. She is the Editor-in-Chief at Body+Mind. When she's not writing, you can find Mia running, reading poetry, or traveling to new cities to explore the local coffee shops and art museums.