Perceptions of Female Elite Athletes Posing Semi-Nude or Nude
Location
CSU 255
Start Date
27-4-2009 1:00 PM
End Date
27-4-2009 3:00 PM
Student's Major
Human Performance
Student's College
Allied Health and Nursing
Mentor's Name
Cindra Kamphoff
Mentor's Department
Human Performance
Mentor's College
Allied Health and Nursing
Second Mentor's Name
Suzannah Armentrout
Second Mentor's Department
Human Performance
Second Mentor's College
Allied Health and Nursing
Description
Considerable sports media research suggests that mainstream media ignores and under-represents women's athletic accomplishments (Kane & Buysee, 2005). When female athletes are represented in the media, an emphasis is placed on their physical attractiveness and heterosexuality (Daddario, 1997). Due to this media focus, researchers report that female athletes feel pressure to "act feminine" while participating in sport, and the media has a negative impact on women's perceptions of their bodies (Kane & Buysee, 2005). Increasingly, elite women athletes are posing semi-nude or nude. Scholars argue the practice demeans female athletes in sport (Kane & Buysee, 2005) and detracts from their accomplishments, yet female athletes who have posed nude or semi-nude argue it provides a way to celebrate the female body (Morrissey, 2008). Fifteen current college female athletes from the swimming, volleyball, and basketball teams were interviewed in order to better understand if college female athletes feel this behavior is acceptable or demeaning, or if it influences their body perceptions. Results revealed that many of the female athletes believed that elite female athletes posing semi-nude in a bathing suit is acceptable, but provocative seminude and nude photographs are unacceptable. A majority of the athletes expressed that viewing semi-nude and nude photographs of elite female athletes does not influence their own body perception on or off the playing field. The athletes believed the elite female athletes pose semi-nude or nude due to the influence of monetary compensation for the photographs, being confident about their body, and/or popularizing their name throughout the media. Selling Gender:
Perceptions of Female Elite Athletes Posing Semi-Nude or Nude
CSU 255
Considerable sports media research suggests that mainstream media ignores and under-represents women's athletic accomplishments (Kane & Buysee, 2005). When female athletes are represented in the media, an emphasis is placed on their physical attractiveness and heterosexuality (Daddario, 1997). Due to this media focus, researchers report that female athletes feel pressure to "act feminine" while participating in sport, and the media has a negative impact on women's perceptions of their bodies (Kane & Buysee, 2005). Increasingly, elite women athletes are posing semi-nude or nude. Scholars argue the practice demeans female athletes in sport (Kane & Buysee, 2005) and detracts from their accomplishments, yet female athletes who have posed nude or semi-nude argue it provides a way to celebrate the female body (Morrissey, 2008). Fifteen current college female athletes from the swimming, volleyball, and basketball teams were interviewed in order to better understand if college female athletes feel this behavior is acceptable or demeaning, or if it influences their body perceptions. Results revealed that many of the female athletes believed that elite female athletes posing semi-nude in a bathing suit is acceptable, but provocative seminude and nude photographs are unacceptable. A majority of the athletes expressed that viewing semi-nude and nude photographs of elite female athletes does not influence their own body perception on or off the playing field. The athletes believed the elite female athletes pose semi-nude or nude due to the influence of monetary compensation for the photographs, being confident about their body, and/or popularizing their name throughout the media. Selling Gender:
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Alicia J.. "Perceptions of Female Elite Athletes Posing Semi-Nude or Nude." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 27, 2009.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2009/oral-session-08/1
