At the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, women have broken records, given legendary performances and brought home medals to the U.S., but it seems as if the focus is on their marital status, makeup and bodies instead.
The media coverage of the Olympics has been generating outrage because of the way it treats the female athletes competing in the Games.Some male commentators for Fox complained about the lack of makeup on female athletes, saying: “I think when you see an athlete, why should I have to look at some chick’s zits? Why not a little blush on her lips and cover those zits?” These women are competitors, not models or eye candy for male viewers.
As Hungarian swimmer Katinka Hosszu finished first, NBC chose to focus on her husband and coach instead of her win. Her success was directly attributed to him, instead of her dedication and hard work, with the sportscaster announcing him as “the man responsible” for her gold medal.
The Chicago Tribune tweeted out an article entitled, “Wife of a Bears’ lineman wins a bronze medal today in Rio Olympics,” focusing less on the athlete, trap-shooter Corey Cogdell-Unrein, and more on her husband.
It’s hard to imagine a male athlete being introduced as a husband first instead of an Olympian. Some of the media seems to be influenced by the old-fashioned belief that women are wives first and that their husbands must be the root of their success.
News outlets also feel compelled to comment on women’s appearances, with Maxim publishing “The Top 10 Hottest Female Olympians of 2016” complete with the subhead “Even if the games themselves prove to be lackluster, we’ll still have something to keep our eyes on.”
Apparently, record-breaking victories in swimming, gymnastics and other events aren’t enough to keep viewers interested. Instead, the looks of these “absolute smokeshows” can give us something to stare at.
Male athletes also catch attention for their attractiveness, but the coverage seems a little more tongue-in-cheek. Cosmopolitan published “27 Olympic Athletes Who Are Bringing ~Sexy Back~” featuring shirtless swimmers, boxers and the like. But articles like this never overshadow their accomplishments. Michael Phelps will always be a swimmer first before a hot body.
Instead of being judged on looks or marital status, sometimes women’s victories are forgotten completely.
A British reporter called tennis player Andy Murray the “first person ever to win two Olympic tennis gold medals,” forgetting Venus and Serena Williams’ accomplishments until Murray set him straight, pointing out they “have won four each.”
The media also infantilizes women instead of treating them with respect as Olympic athletes. As the USA women’s gymnastics team stood laughing and chatting after the qualifying round, a commentator said they looked like they “might as well be standing in the middle of a mall.”
These aren’t normal high school students hanging out on a Saturday; they’re dedicated athletes who have spent countless hours preparing for the Olympics. A comment like that would have never been made about the men’s gymnastics team, regardless of their age.
The sexism may not always be overt, but the coverage is bringing to light the misogyny surrounding media coverage of the Olympics. There may not be people spewing hate toward the female athletes, but it shows the toxic attitudes that are still present today.
