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Female Athletes Analysis

714 Words3 Pages

The physical appearance of female athletes has been and still is critically analysed in a negative light. Because of this, many athletes feel the pressures of society upon them, from the media, spectators, coaches, family and other competitors. On top of society pressures, each sport usually has an ideal body composition that athletes should strive for in order to perform to their optimum. Pressures to achieve the ideal body composition combined with appearing feminine without too much muscle mass can make it extremely difficult for the lives of female athletes. Many female athletes will strive for their success in ways that can do more damage than good both mentally and physically. In this dangerous pathway that is undertaken, eating disorders, …show more content…

The female image is associated with little or no muscle (Willett, E 2007). Especially in the media and society today, women with prominent muscle mass have dealt with body shaming. Athletes such as tennis player Serena Williams, hammer thrower Bronwyn Eagles and track and field gold medalists Natasha Hastings and Sanya Richards-Ross have been regarded as “masculine”, “too muscular” or not feminine enough to be treated like a real woman (Smith, A 2014 & Stern, C 2015). This sad reality creates body pressures for females to succeed in their sport without physically appearing to have too much muscle. Body image issues can arise because of this. This increases negative body image. In addition to feeling the pressures of appearing feminine, athletes may also feel pressure to adhere to the media’s ideal image linked with being …show more content…

Besides the media’s female ideal being associated with little or no muscle, it is also linked to thinness (Willett, E 2007). Contrast this ideal to female athletes, and the image becomes very unrealistic and unachievable, as each athlete has different physical requirements depending on their sport (Kirkpatrick, J & Caldwell, P 2004). Many female athletes receive mixed messages from society. The media recognises the success of maintaining a fit body and having physical power, but consequentially, it perpetuates the female ideal valuing thinness. On top of the pressure from the media, there are evidently demands from each sport depending on its type and how the results are

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Body image can also impact the type of physical activity you feel comfortable participating in, how you feel about it and your outlook on sport. One’s body image can affect their total outlook of physical education / training (i.e. if they are smaller / shorter than anyone else there or they are taller / plumper than anyone else there.) Many who are self-conscious and anxious about their appearance may prefer to exercise alone and have lower levels of enjoyment. In relation to the interpersonal level of Figueroa’s framework, I believe that my participation has been effected due to all factors of the interpersonal level.

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1003 Words | 5 Pages

However, there is still more work to be done in regards to athletics. By a lack of funding and coverage the media is choosing to highlight a female athlete’s femininity over her achievements –negatively affecting the nation’s young female

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1253 Words | 6 Pages

Lucinda Knight Mrs. Kerrn Honors English 2 15 March 2024 Beyond the Surface: Navigating Body Image in College Athletes Welcome, listeners, to Beyond the Surface! I’m Lucinda Knight, your podcast host, and today’s episode is about the environmental influences that contribute to the development of body image issues in college athletics. I will be taking a deep dive into the roots of the problem: body expectations of athletes and judgment in sports. Before we jump in, if you enjoy my podcast, don’t forget to hit that like and subscribe button to get a notification the next time one of my episodes releases. It truly makes your listening experience the best it can be!

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Little did they know women all around the world formed a women rights movement in the late 1920’s. Women wanted to prove themselves with their protest and riots they started. It was not until the “1960’s and ’70s [women] sought equal rights and opportunities and greater personal freedom for women”, (BRITANNICA). The topic about athletic competition and how men did not find it ladylike was dropped and women were able to compete.

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1954 Words | 8 Pages

Female runners are commonly misconceived as non competitive, healthy eaters, and being slower than male runners but in actuality, female runners diets are the same as any other individual and they are as competitive and fast as males. The reason behind the existence of stereotypes and misconceptions is due to an inadequate understanding about a

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698 Words | 3 Pages

Whether it be the amount and type of coverage they receive, the sexualisation, stereotypical views they have to fight against, or the failures they may come across, the media is there to cover it. Unfortunately, women have become a victim to an increased amount of challenges when facing the media, though in this period of time in the world, we are working towards a more equal society. This can impact the future generations of athletes and how they believe their efforts in their sport will be seen. If media does not begin to equal out between the genders, it is possible that women’s sports will decrease even

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1155 Words | 5 Pages

According to Emily A. Dane (2007), the first movie to have a female lead character was Million Dollar Baby in 2004 (p. 53). Foregoing research has established that an athlete’s gender helps to sway how they are depicted in the media (Dane, 2007, p. 58). Previously, athletes have been males, so the characteristics that are seen as essential for an athlete to prosper are recognized as “male”. As female athletes are emerging and times have changed, they are displaying more “male characteristics” (Dane, 2007, p.

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1165 Words | 5 Pages

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was influenced by many of the philosophers that came before her, specifically John Locke. Frankenstein was published in 1818 in the middle of the Romantics' hold in England. The novel was originally made to be a ghost story to entertain Mary Shelley and her companions during the 1816 summer. John Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding had a lot of influence over the young writer and her book, but there were also some ideas that they disagreed about. So while Mary Shelley uses John Locke as an influence, she also draws ideas from some other theories.

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743 Words | 3 Pages

Toxic stereotypes and masculinity make female athletes to be sexualized and objectified meaning that their looks gather more press and attention than their skills. Women have fought for equal wages and simply the right to compete. In 1922 the year when the first women’s Olympic games took place in Paris, women competed in more physically demanding sports such as the 1000-meter dash. In 1940 the first women’s professional sports league was founded and started. Nowadays women have many if not all equal opportunities in sports and can make a living out of them thanks to the fight they put

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837 Words | 4 Pages

With softball, gymnastics, dance, track, volleyball, basketball, and swimming, my shoulders have widened and my muscles have developed to an extent that may seem masculine to many. The fact that I’m genetically thick-boned does not help. While I will probably never be happy with the fact that I can’t be petite framed, Greer’s words are liberating to read as a break from our society’s impossible

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1059 Words | 5 Pages

Women athletes and women workers do not get the recognition they deserve. Men especially, look down upon women when it comes to their appearances, their knowledge and a women's physical and mental strength. In certain cases, a woman loses out on a job in the sports industry because she is exactly a woman. A male trainer can refuse to train women because of the parts her body has. Men and women have grown up in a world with the mindset that women know less than men when it comes to sports.

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1662 Words | 7 Pages

Pollatou performed questionnaires and various other test to detect any differences between the two groups. The test results revealed that there were no drastic differences between how both of the groups viewed body image. In this study Pollatou explained what these results might suggest by stating that, “A following study that was interested in the body image psychopathology compared ballet dancers wishing to become professionals with amateur ballet dancers. The analysis of results revealed that the body image conveyed by society is as important to amateur dancers as to professionals” (Pollatou 132). Although advanced ballet dancers display greater risk of developing eating disorders, amature dancers are just as concerned about their body image.

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1525 Words | 7 Pages

Argumentative Essay Eating disorders are becoming a rising problem in many individuals regardless of their age or gender. Eating disorders are problems that revolve around abnormal eating behaviors and distorted beliefs about eating, weight or shape. They can be classified as psychiatric problems, which are considered a general medical condition. Eating disorders happen when individuals are obsessed about controlling their weight by controlling what they eat.

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779 Words | 4 Pages

(Managan, 2017) Although sport engagement and aid of women athletes has grown increasingly, future improvements are not a given fact. It is a well known certainty that even in the current 21st century, the reality is that women in general still experience difficulty and discrimination from the conventional gender norms that hinder with their engagement in sports. In order to make sure that gender equity in sports is maintained, the gender ideals that are correlated to sport must be examined thoroughly and effectively before any succeeding action takes

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778 Words | 4 Pages

Women receive less recognition than men and are classified as weak. Women too are called “tomboy” for joining a stereotypical male’s sport or for joining any sport in general. With that said, it also prevents people from discovering their true passion for the fear of society’s perception. Since gender discrimination in sports foes not give men and women equal rights and opportunities, promoting sports without gender divisions will lessen this. Gender discrimination in sports is the discrimination which is based on one’s ability i athletics on their gender.

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