Female Sport and Sexuality

Last week in class we discussed whether or not it was ok for women athletes to pose for magazines baring a little more skin that is commonly acceptable and if their photos were really promoting their sports. I think that there are a couple underlying reasons why women expressing their sexuality is a controversial topic. The first one is that women’s sport is not nearly as popular and does not generate as much money as men’s sport. Some women have posed for photos in promotion of their sport and promotion of their athleticism. But what about the female athletes that pose more provocatively? Is it ok for them to sell sex in order to create more attention for their sport? My question is why has sport made it acceptable for women to bare all? You do not see female lawyers posing in bikini’s to promote their firms. I think that part of the reason why is that it generates money and media attention, and the media attention in most cases is positive or creates a buzz. I think that most people can agree that in world of fitness and health athletes have gorgeous bodies. Maybe promoting their bodies is a way to create fans, people who strive to achieve the fitness that the athletes have, and if you can look good while working out all the better. I still do not know if it is good for essentially promoting the sport. There is a difference in showing that your fit and a difference in sex appeal. Take David Beckham for example, he is famous for Soccer, his looks, and being married to Victoria so when I see him in underwear ads I do not think of him of promoting soccer, however, soccer does cross my mind because he has such a big face in US soccer. So in conclusion even though he is not directly promoting soccer, soccer is in association with him, and his name. Is it ok for him to pose provocatively when he represents a family sport entertainment? Yet, you do not hear about him being criticized for being in underwear ads, is it because soccer is really popular and his actions do not affect the representation of soccer as much? Or is the general public more strict with women? Does the public criticize women for going against lady like behavior, whether its for promoting their sport or not eyebrows will be raised. What I think it comes down to for most cases is that this is really some of the only media exposure that particular women sports get, some use it to increase their celebrity, however, this will be a circulating issue because I do not see a decrease in a correlation of female athletes and sex appeal in the near future.