By Sophie Bui, Staff Writer
“Could you give us a twirl and tell us about your outfit?” was apparently the most dire question to ask Eugenie Bouchard, a Canadian tennis player after her winning match in the 2015 Australian Open. This question caused a flood of criticism towards sports media and opened the discussion about gender discrimination within the industry itself. How could a twirl be so important?
Female athletes are discriminated against. Shocker. Female athletes endure mistreatment time and time again. In the male-dominated sports world, women must suffer sexism in the media. We are all aware that sexism = bad, but as we dissect the sports media industry, lines are easily blurred.
Why are women's sports deemed uninteresting?
Apparently, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) is a common target for criticism on this front. There is a clear lack of media coverage and an absence of marketing of women’s basketball compared to men’s basketball. Time has proven that women’s sports can be entertaining to an audience. The notion that “women's sports are not interesting to watch” is simply untrue. Both the WNBA and women’s sports in general are growing in popularity, yet sports media has used their platforms to highlight predominately male athletes. We cannot ignore the clear underlying sexism within that statement. This criticism invalidates much of female athletes’ accomplishments and achievements. It perpetuates the old-fashioned stereotype that women are weak. If we, as a society, continue to allow these stereotypes to grow, it prevents equity among genders. Imagine a world in which women’s sports and merchandising were just as prevalent in society as men's. The lack of media coverage and marketing only perpetuates the stereotype that the sport is uninteresting.
Let's put it into a different perspective.
Sports like cricket and rugby are not prevalent in American media. This doesn’t mean that those sports are uninteresting, but simply, they are not as popular. Now we ask ourselves, how do we increase the popularity? We have to learn how to market the sport to Americans. This is also applicable to women’s sports. We live in a capitalist world in which everyone is a consumer. The lack of marketing and media coverage truly affects this industry and as a result, decreases the popularity of women’s sports.
According to a study conducted by Purdue University in 2021, women's sports coverage is only 5.4% of sports media even though women represent over 40% of professional players. Only 5%. Let that sink in for a minute. The consistent media spotlight on men only perpetuates male dominance in this field. Even with the limited spotlight many of these female athletes receive, the coverage of women vs. men is strikingly different. A female athlete's personal life seems more important than the sport they play. Rather than focusing on the accomplishments and game at play, many interviews target their focus on the outfits these women wear and the body that is displaying it. That little 5% doesn’t even focus on the importance of the sport the women are playing.
Why does this happen?
It is a pretty simple and straightforward answer. Money. As sad as it is, women’s bodies are often capitalized and profited from. Sexualization amongst women isn’t anything new. Sexualization often objectifies the individual and diminishes her sports career to just a Sports-Illustrated cover in a tight uniform.
Why does representation matter?
Representation in media can amplify voices and bring to light diverse stories. Because of low representation, there has been a decrease in young female athletes. The youth need role models to look up to and sports media is the most influential way to highlight female athletes. Our perception is always changing due to our environment—an environment that disregards female athletes' accomplishments.
A twirl. To some, it is a minuscule request. To most, it is a symbol of the long history of gender discrimination within sports media. A twirl. It represents that little 5% that us, female athletes grasp at. A twirl. Means nothing, but at the same time, it means everything. A twirl.