THE SEXUALIZATION OF FEMALE ATHLETES’ BODIES AS PORTRAYED BY SOCIAL MEDIA

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dc.contributor.advisorKim, Ji Young
dc.contributor.authorCowell, Chandler
dc.contributor.departmentCommunication
dc.date.accessioned2024-02-26T20:14:23Z
dc.date.available2024-02-26T20:14:23Z
dc.date.issued2023
dc.description.degreeM.A.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10125/107949
dc.subjectCommunication
dc.subjectFemale Athletes
dc.subjectMedia Representation
dc.subjectPerceived Athleticism
dc.subjectPerceived Sexualization
dc.titleTHE SEXUALIZATION OF FEMALE ATHLETES’ BODIES AS PORTRAYED BY SOCIAL MEDIA
dc.typeThesis
dcterms.abstractThe sexualization of female athletes in both mainstream and social media is a topic that has gained increased attention over time. This trend of placing focus on the body over athletic abilities or successes reinforces the idea of a sexist social construct and promotes an impossible standard of maintained perfection. The construct where women are expected and shaped to conform to the limited scope of what is deemed “attractive” has become a significant contributor to the ongoing struggle to recognize the power of female athletes beyond their athletic attributes. This hyper-focus on athletic appearance can detract from athletic performance and the sport as a whole. Media's headlines continuously critique female athletes' bodies, practices, and competition attire which in turn can take away valuable space in headlines. This cycle of constant comparison continues to reinforce heteronormative values that affect not only top female professional athletes but all who view, consume, and internalize the same construct being put forth. Media's portrayal of female athletes' images promotes standards and constructs that influence viewers and shape a reality that benefits media companies' profitability and narrative control. This portrayal not only shapes viewers' perspectives but also has the potential to adversely affect the holistic well-being of female athletes. The findings in this study show that survey respondents reported different perceptions of female athletes when they viewed images of female athletes participating in their sport or not participating in their sport.
dcterms.extent57 pages
dcterms.languageen
dcterms.publisherUniversity of Hawai'i at Manoa
dcterms.rightsAll UHM dissertations and theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission from the copyright owner.
dcterms.typeText
local.identifier.alturihttp://dissertations.umi.com/hawii:12025

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