#CoverTheAthlete Is Taking on Sexist Sports Coverage

There is something seriously wrong with the media coverage of female athletes in our society.

Instead of questioning a female athlete about her performance in her game, the media tends to offer sexist commentary about her outfit or her physique. This not only diminishes a woman’s accomplishments, but it reiterates a common stereotype that a woman’s worth is dependent on her physical appearance.

The campaign #CoverTheAthlete seeks to change the way female sports reporting is conducted by calling upon the media to ask female athletes about sports rather than clothing or beauty. Much like the #AskHerMore campaign that has spread through the entertainment media industry, journalists are being encouraged to question females on deeper and more meaningful topics.

This video was launched by the #CoverTheAthlete campaign to highlight how male athletes are not asked the same sexist questions that female athletes are asked. In the video, when the male athletes are asked sexist or irrelevant questions, they appear caught off guard and disgusted. But when female athletes are asked these same questions constantly by the media, they are supposed to just grin and bear it.

It’s about time we ask the media to #CoverTheAthlete.

Cover image courtesy of Shutterstock.