Abstract

The purpose of this study is to discuss the intersectionality of feminine identity and athletic identity, as well as the public representation of female athletes, labeling, and the construction of dual identities. Media images of elite female athletes were deconstructed in order to analyze how media images of female athletes mold and influence public opinion and discourse. The findings of this study discuss stereotypes of femininity, while deconstructing how the media influences the societal interpretation of femininity, and how this affects the advancement of women’s sport. This discussion concludes that femininity and appearance are at the root of how society understands and values female athletes. Successful female athletes automatically become representative of all women in sport, and their actions and public image on and off the field of play have a substantial impact on the sustainability and advancement of female sport in general.