Sexualization of Female Athletes

The frequency of documentation of female athletes being sexualized has been well documented.  Fink and Kensiki (2002) found that female athletes in Sports Illustrated and Sports Illustrated for Women from 1997 to 1999, 10% of the photographs in the magazines featured female athletes.  Of that 10%, 5% of the pictures were considered pornographic or sexually suggestive (American Psychological Association 2007).  Shugart’s (2003) study on print and television coverage argues that sexualization of women athletes occurs in three ways: Subtle sexualization, less subtle sexualization and vigilant heterosexuality.  Subtle sexualization occurs through a passive form of objectification—Shugart’s example of subtle objectification is when photographs are favored towards an athlete’s face rather than her athletic achievement or performance.  Less subtle sexualization is shown through commentators’ remarks.  For example, commentators remarks when Brandi Chastain’s removal of her jersey after scoring the game clinching goal that propelled the United States women’s soccer team to superstardom wining the 1998 women’s world cup. Sports casters deemed her act of youthful exuberance as a “striptease” labeling her as “the owner of the most talked-about breast in the country”. Ultimately, 1998 women’s soccer team tragically was referred to the “booters with hooters”.  However, the same acts of exuberance committed by male soccer players are viewed as unwavering passion for the sport.  For example, after every game David Beckam removes his jersey as he solutes the adoring fans.  Vigilant hetrosexuality is evident when sports casters and commentators place female’s family lives and their femininity as the center of attention in order to suggest that they are not lesbian. Shugart believes that this form of sexualization marginalizes female athletes; it also is delineates female strength as male pleasure.