Okay so last Tuesday I was scrolling through some sports highlights videos, right? And something kinda pissed me off. Videos for the guys – it’s all about the shot, the goal, the save. Super action stuff. But when it popped over to a women’s game highlight reel? Boom. Close-up. Slow motion shot focusing on… well, definitely not the game play in that moment. Like, seriously?
Starting My Own Little Investigation
Got me wondering if this was just bad luck or a real thing. So I decided to look into it myself, proper like. Figured I’d compare how a bunch of different news outlets show pictures for men’s and women’s sports. Same sport, similar level of play, ideally recent stuff.
First, I hit up the websites. Took me like three evenings, just browsing. Went through maybe ten or twelve big sports sites. Every time I saw an article about a female athlete or women’s team, I took a screenshot. Did the same thing for men’s articles on the same sport on the same site. Aimed for volleyball, tennis, track, soccer – stuff where athletes wear less clothing naturally anyway.
What I Actually Saw (Screenshots Don’t Lie)
Sat there staring at all these screenshots on my desktop. The difference wasn’t subtle, guys. It was super obvious once you put them side-by-side. Here’s what jumped out:
- The “Action” Difference: Men’s photos? Almost always mid-movement. Legs pumping hard in a sprint, muscles straining to hit the ball, jumping crazy high. Pure athletic power. The women’s photos? Sure, some action shots, but way more were… static. Standing on the court looking tough (but kinda posed?), or even just… standing there. Less emphasis on what the body was doing, more on how it looked.
- Close-Up Creepiness: This happened way too often. Men’s photos: wide shot showing the whole play, the jump, the kick. Women’s photos? Weirdly close zoom-ins. Like, okay, the uniform for volleyball is spandex. So many photos seemed specifically angled to capture that thigh gap thing, or a torso shot that cut off the head or the legs involved in playing. It felt deliberate, like the photo was chosen to highlight body parts first, athlete second.
- Model vs. Athlete Vibe: Some women’s pics straight up looked like they were pulled from a fitness model shoot, not a sports game. Perfectly lit, flattering angle, more about aesthetics than capturing the gritty, sweaty reality of competition. The men? Gritty. Sweaty. Red-faced. Focused. Looked like warriors. The women often looked styled.
- The Weird Comparison Thing: Found articles comparing athletes from different teams purely based on looks. “Hottest Female Athletes” nonsense. Never saw the equivalent for male athletes. It’s like they exist in a different universe.
Felt Icky, Honestly
Sorting all these screenshots felt kinda gross after a while. You start noticing the patterns, and it’s hard to unsee. This isn’t about reporting on the sport. It feels like they’re selling bodies packaged under “sports news.” Takes away from how amazing these athletes are. Reduces them to visuals in a way you just don’t see with the guys.
Shook my head a lot. How is this still happening so obviously? It disrespects the women competing. Makes the sport look secondary. Feels lazy and super exploitative.
What really gets me? It probably drives clicks. That’s the worst part. Media knows exactly what they’re doing with those angles and zoom shots. They’re feeding a gross appetite instead of celebrating athleticism. Leaves me wondering if anyone making the photo choices has actually watched a women’s game for the skill and effort, you know?