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Playing Unfair : The Media Image of the Female Athlete
March 16, 2005
| Length: | 0:29:01 |
| Next Air Dates: | No upcoming airtimes are currently scheduled |
Program Description:
It has been 30 years since Title IX legislation granted women equal playing time, but the male-dominated world of sports journalism has yet to catch up with the law. Coverage of women's sports lags far behind men's, and focuses on female athletes' femininity and sexuality over their achievements on the court and field. While female athleticism challenges gender norms, women athletes continue to be depicted in traditional roles that reaffirm their femininity - as wives and mothers or sex objects. By comparison, male athletes are framed according to heroic masculine ideals that honor courage, strength, and endurance. Sports media scholars Mary Jo Kane, Pat Griffin, and Michael Messner look at the persistence of heterosexism and homophobia in perpetuating gender stereotypes. They argue for new media images which fairly and accurately depict the strength and competence of femal athletes.
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