Blowing the Whistle: Sports Photography

When I think about Sports Photography (which I will admit isn't too often), issues of gender, race, and sexuality never cross my mind. Typically what does come to mind is that, often impressively, a quick, epic, inspirational moment was captured in time. That thought is typically followed up by my amazement and lack of confidence in taking action shots. Never once in all my years of seeing newspapers, magazines, and webpages devoted to sports images have I stopped to think about all the deeper issues blended with this cultural phenomenon.

The issue I found to be the most fascinating after reading the article Framed and Mounted was the issue of sports media and gender. Being a little bit of a self-proclaimed feminist, I am always drawn in by the difference of roles between men and women, but sports was never an area I paid much attention too. I agree with the author that in sports media, women are often far more sexualized and at the same time, featured less often. Women are also featured more doing tasks that have nothing to do with sports, such as holding their children, embracing their significant other, and caring about their appearance. I feel this difference stems from the inability of society to disassociate women from their maternal/caregiver role. This is also why more women are photographed in still, reclining, inactive poses, contrary to the male image which is typically in motion.

I feel that in a time when women and men are equal in most aspects, sports and sports images are still behind. Attention to both genders should be given in a similar manner in the media. If all sexual connotation can't be taken out of the female image for obvious reasons, then coverage should at least be equal. One area I found that, in my opinion, gave attention to both male and female athletes was this years coverage of the Olympics. With sex symbols like Micheal Phelps and Ryan Lochte, is the sexualization of athletes still slanted more towards women? How do you feel about the integrity of athletes posing nude for advertisements and articles?