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The Student News Site of Walt Whitman High School

The Black and White

The Student News Site of Walt Whitman High School

The Black and White

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March 21, 2024

#CoverTheAthlete and sexism in sports reporting

%23CoverTheAthlete+and+sexism+in+sports+reporting

“Could you give us a twirl and tell us about your outfit?” one reporter asks Oklahoma City Thunder basketball player Russell Westbrook.

“Removing your body hair gives you an edge in the pool. How about your love life?” another reporter asks pro swimmer Michael Phelps.

Both athletes gawk at the reporters, embarrassed and confused by the outrageous questions.

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In a YouTube video that went viral last month, male athletes were asked these and other similar questions. All of the men were shocked, as they should have been, by the inquiries. But these are exact questions that female athletes have been asked by reporters. Luckily for the men in the video, these questions aren’t the norm for male athletes—they were asked to make a point about sports broadcasting.

They sound ridiculous when asked to male athletes because we expect reporters to talk about performance rather than looks.

Why is it that these personal questions sound offensive when asked to men, but seem ordinary when directed at women? It is this double-standard that the Cover The Athlete campaign seeks to end. It demands that female athletes are asked questions pertaining to athletics rather than their appearances or personal lives.

All too often, reporters focus on irrelevant topics instead of commenting on a female athlete’s game. The Cover The Athlete website says that this sexist approach to covering female athletes “not only trivializes a woman’s accomplishments, but also sends a message that her value is based on her looks, not her ability.”

Recently, the need for quality coverage of female sports and entertainment figures has gained attention. A reporter’s questions to tennis pro Serena Williams about weight gain and the “Smart Girls Ask” campaign to end sexist red carpet interviews by actress Amy Poehler have created additional buzz about the issue.

It’s time to end sexism in broadcast journalism. There’s no reason that a female athlete or actress should be held to a different standard by reporters than her male counterparts.

Is hairstyle or love life more important than outstanding athletic performance? Reporters seem to think not for men. Let’s make it the same for women.

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Comments (6)

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  • T

    TrumpMar 8, 2016 at 9:00 am

    Feminism is not real

    Reply
  • R

    RobDec 3, 2015 at 1:14 pm

    Great article. Perfectly reasonable, an accurate depiction of the campaign. Well done.

    Reply
  • W

    White BoyDec 3, 2015 at 7:48 am

    Another feminist, another terrible article. First of all, the weight gain question to Serena is a valid concern. Weight is a significant factor in conditioning/stamina, so it would be a legitimate question.

    Secondly, these kind of questions are asked to male athletes all the time. Eddie Lacy was asked numerous times about his weight gain (*gasp!*). Aaron Rodgers (he’s a pretty good football player) was asked about his relationship with Olivia Munn, and many believed that his relationship was affecting his athletic performance.

    Nice try!

    Reply
  • A

    AndrewDec 2, 2015 at 3:29 pm

    Absolutely. Great editorial. Media coverage of female athletes far too often focuses on their appearance – Serena Williams, Brittney Griner, Alex Morgan…..

    Reply
  • R

    Ron SwansonDec 2, 2015 at 9:44 am

    This article is offensive to my American beliefs. #FreeSpeech

    Reply
  • L

    lfndljdsfDec 1, 2015 at 2:03 pm

    just stop. just stop.

    Reply