Women underrepresented in sports.

Sports journalist jobs are also overwhelmingly white and male.

Women are just...

• 6 percent of sports editors.
• 10 percent of assistant sports editors.
• 6 percent of sports columnists.
• 9 percent of sports reporters.
• 16 percent of copy editors and designers for sports news.

Women as athletes are also disparaging in the news. Margaret Carlisle Duncan and Michael Messner studied sports coverage on three network affiliates in Los Angeles and found that only nine percent of airtime was devoted to women’s sports, compared to the 88 percent dedicated to male athletes.

Image Source: womentalksports.com

Language used by sports commentators (which are 97 percent male) is also gendered. Commentators describe male athletes as...

• Big.
• Strong.
• Brilliant.
• Gutsy.
• Aggressive.

Commentators describe women as...

• Weary.
• Fatigued.
• Frustrated.
• Panicked.
• Vulnerable.
• Chocking.

Professor Pat Griffin said, "When it was once enough to feminize women athletes, now it is necessary to sexualize them for men. Instead of hearing 'I am woman, here me roar,' we hear 'I am hetero-sexy, watch me strip.'"

Source: “Media Coverage of Women and Women’s Issues,” Media Awareness Network, 2010. www.media-awareness/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_coverage.cfm