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:

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Apr 27th, 1:00 PM Apr 27th, 3:00 PM

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