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Shedding the “Lesbian”
Image
An explanation to why some female athletes agree to expose themselves in such sexualized
manners is that perhaps they are attempting to shed the "lesbian" image that is forcefully placed on them by
the public. In our society, women who
participate in sports, especially those sports that are considered very masculine such as football, boxing, and hockey, are
automatically stereotyped as lesbians; this cloak of defamation is especially placed on female athletes who are exceptionally
talented. Through sexualized images, however, women gain power by expressing their individuality as women,
their femininity, their sexuality, at the same time winning both publicity for their sport and economic power through promotional deals; and ultimately shedding the “Lesbian” stereotype.
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