Female Athletes in the Media

     While doing some spring cleaning at home, I came across my copy of the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. With last week’s debate regarding female athletes posing nude in the media still fresh in my mind, I decided to take a second look through the magazine.  Alex Morgan, a member of the U.S Women’s soccer team, posed nude in an airbrushed bathing suit along with several other female athletes. The picture spread is very tasteful and the airbrush looks very much like an actual bathing suit. She was interviewed and one of the questions asked was, as a woman how much do looks play into your success? Do you have to use them to capitalize, since there’s not that big payday as with male athletes? Her response summarized the feelings of most female athletes in that they find it difficult because women are not paid the same. Most women look for other avenues to make more for themselves. Some choose modeling, but other options are coaching and broadcasting.

     Let’s imagine a perfect world where women are paid equally to men.  Does this eliminate the need for women to pose nude in the media? No, not necessarily because as long as women are viewed as objects of desire the demand for them in the media remains. If a female athlete is confident with her body and chooses to pose nude that is her right. But, female athletes need to be mindful of their following and their responsibility as a role model as well.

Stephanie Scheele

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