Media separates each other’s strategies when women and men’s sports are involved. Today women athletes are represented poorly and are profiled by the media, which will do whatever it takes to grab people’s attention and to make a profit. Female athletes are being portrayed sexually both through text and through photos. Ever since sports started, males have taken power and credit through the games, making them get the main focus since men are the largest consumers of it. When female athletes are represented through media, are they represented through there sexuality rather than their athletic ability?
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As women are being seen as a sex object on magazine covers through text and photos what does it apply? It is sending out the wrong message to young girls that look up to the athlete and overall just any female a wrong message representing themselves. The message meaning that it is more important for your body to look sexy and how it can be used rather than what your body can do athletically through the female’s sport. The media does this because they believe that sex sells. This relates to the article “Sex sells, but what else does it do?” “Some people find women’s participation in pornography, both as part of the audience and as part of the production, to be empowering, and argue that is demonstrates the importance of women controlling their own sexuality and others argue that the higher wages exist only because women still have to exploit themselves to make money” (Pappas, 325). But overall being revealed sexually through pictures just markets athletes and makes them more known. Our society pays attention when an AXE commercials show up or women being seen wearing lingerie revealing a lot of skin through pictures or other types of media. When female athletes see the success that other women are getting from exposing themselves they get involved to become more known and to given to gain sponsorships. But here is the thing: sex does not sell for female athletes at all. ESPN asked a question of sex appeal and whether it will always take the place of achievement.
The thing is that sex does not sell for female athletes. ESPN quoted Janet Fink, and associate professor in the Department of Sports Management form the University of Massachusetts Amherst that females athletes are marketed as: “Another thing we are finding, and that makes sense, is the each time a female athlete is pictures in a sexualized way, it diminishes the perception of her athletic ability.” (Hawk 2013) When people see a picture of an athlete seen as a sexualized image and than the same athlete seen in picture of them participating in a game which one makes them a better athlete? Overall because of these types of sexualized images and things like Lingerie Football that females participate in are some reasons why our society does not take female sports serious. Female athletes need to discover that sex does not sell through sports.
References:
Hawk, Natalia. “Sport on Saturdays: Does Sex Really Sell When It Comes to Athletes?” Mamamia Sport on Saturdays Does Sex Really Sell When It Comes to Athletes Apparently Not Comments. N.p., 7 Sept. 2013. Web
Pappas, Chris, Sex Sells, but what else does it do? Introducing the New Sexuality Studies
Sex and Society 
