An insidious ‘unwomanly’ agenda in sport

Common generalization on femininity pervades the Olympics again… In the eyes of the media and general public, the popularity of male athletes is mostly about their performance, whereas for females it can be just as much about their looks. Though it’s clear that the Olympics and other sporting contests are solely about athletic talent, why do we find ourselves judging athletes, female athletes in particular, based on non-athletic criteria?

Leslie Jones, the Australian Olympic swimmer received public scrutiny about her body being too ‘masculine’, despite being an eight time Olympic medalist. Gabby Douglas was criticized for her ‘unkempt’ hair after scoring the gold medal in gymnastics. And the comments that the Dutch women’s field hockey team received about their beauty overshadowed those about their sporting results. The whiplash extents to males too; swimmer Ryan Lochte, became a target on social media for being ‘sexy’ yet ‘dumb’. I’m not saying he’s cutting edge smart- but he obviously didn’t get eleven Olympic medals based on his level of intelligence. I’m sure all of these athletes would much rather be talked about for their success in the sport they dedicated so much time and effort to.

The comments that the Dutch women’s field hockey team received about their beauty overshadowed those about their sporting results

Then why is it so easy for the media and general public to focus on the physical and criticize athletes based on their sexiness or other non-athletics related criteria? Some believe that the athletes themselves are to blame; female athletes who pose in provocative magazine spreads are criticized for supporting existing gender biases. Photographs and articles that say little about athletic achievements and skill, focusing only on physical attractiveness can offer reasons for why most of the time, media still projects females as visually entertaining bodies rather than powerful, successful persons.

The truth is that media coverage, whether focused on skill or beauty, means money and sponsorships which can be used for the training of an athlete. Athletes rely on the endorsements they receive during the Olympics of the time to fund the following four years of training after it. Better deals come through more media exposure, and funding can directly affect an athlete’s success. As problematic as this is, it’s understandable that female athletes try to look ‘good’ and play up their sex appeal in order to receive media coverage. Yet despite their efforts to look good in front of the camera while pursuing professional sports, women athletes don’t receive nearly as much sponsorship as males- Sports Illustrated’s 2013 list of the 50 highest earning athletes didn’t include a single woman.

On the other hand good looks can be used to cast out an athlete. Critics commented that good looks played a part in the U.S. skating officials’ decision when they controversially chose Ashley Wagner for the Olympic Figure Skating team, despite her scoring lower than team mate Mirai Nagasu in the U.S. championships. Whether a certain physical appearance was favored in the boards decision or not, media critics chose to highlight this attribute when arguing that the athlete got an undeserved opportunity, and ignored her being a house hold name in U.S figure skating and being the most experienced skater on the team.

Male or female the fact that these athletes have made it to the Olympics demonstrates that they’re the best in the world at what they do.

Similarly, a column in the New York Times criticized USA’s Lola Jones for marketing her sex appeal. Jones voiced the concerns of a number of female athletes when she tearfully expressed how ignorance towards women’s athletic achievements was disheartening, when they give a lifetime of effort and dedication for their specific sport. Considering these examples and many more that aren’t mentioned, I think it’s time we blame the game and not the player.

Partiality is also evident on a governmental level in the way countries treat their athletes. The Saudi Arabia government didn’t let their female athletes compete until the 2012 Olympics and the women Japanese soccer team was flown to the games in economy, while their male counterparts flew business. Male or female the fact that these athletes have made it to the Olympics demonstrates that they’re the best in the world at what they do. If this can’t break through gender biases and if governments’ can’t give their female athletes the respect and support they deserve as people and also as representatives of their particular country, then it’s time to look past cultural differences in rendering women less worthy then men.

The International Olympic Committee’s policy governing sex verification bans women with a condition of hyperandrogenism, naturally high testosterone levels, from women’s competitions.

Gender biased judgment of sports shouldn’t come as a surprise as biased treatment is evident in the administration of the Olympics itself. Over 30 Olympic Games still bar women from competing and the International Olympic Committee’s policy governing sex verification bans women with a condition of hyperandrogenism, naturally high testosterone levels, from women’s competitions. A clear shout-out of the double standard, male athletes don’t have to prove their maleness through gender testing, only women suspected of being men… Risking being too dramatic, it seems to me as if we’re saying: “If a woman is this good at sports, then there must be something ‘unwomanly’ about her”.

The issue doesn’t stop with the levels of testosterone; it’s unclear what the IOC classifies as being female, male or intersex, as hyperandrogenic women who only have female sex organs aren’t classified for any three categories. It’s degrading for female athletes to be subjected to sex verification based on non-scientific standards when it’s obvious that these women, naturally or through years of training, may have different genes or athletic capabilities than the average female.

It seems to me as if if it is being said: “If a woman is this good at sports, then there must be something ‘unwomanly’ about her”.

Sexism remains an apparent obstacle for social development in all spheres of life and the Olympics, presumably a symbol of strength, discipline, endurance and patience, can struggle in prevailing over gender prejudices. Such sexist perceptions are especially harmful for the women in sports who struggle to be taken seriously. Their athletic abilities become overshadowed by rants about their body parts and perceived femininity. While it’s perfectly understandable and natural to have a liking for the way someone is physically, it’s time we cut off the age-old ideas of real women and ‘femininity’ which doesn’t compete in any kind of athletic competition.

[divider]

Header Image Courtesy of flickr.com / calvinfleming

Body Image Courtesy of  flickr.com / VOXSPORTSdotNET