Female Athletes are Models...Role Models

Only a few decades ago women’s sports and female athletes were relatively unknown. Young girls had no female role models to look up to and most girls were not even encouraged to play sports. Prior to Title IX legislation there were 300,000 female high school athletes. That number jumped to 2.7 million in 1999, approximately an 800% increase (Feminist Majority Foundation). Although this is a significant increase that should not go unnoticed, women athletes are now faced with the controversial debate of how women have gained the public's interest in their sports.

Some people see female athletes only as models, focusing on their appearance rather than their athletic ability while sports marketers have also profitted from selling the female body rather than athletic achievements. Sex appeal in women's athletics has become highly controversial with both the athletes and the public having their own opinions on the matter. The links on the right will take you to some different topics that have come up for women athletes in regards to "baring it all."