Regardless of whether one is a sports fan or not, sporting events have the power to unite large numbers of people. Sports broadcasters, who serve as play-by-play announcers for sports networks or specific teams, have various responsibilities including delivering news, offering game commentary, and conducting player interviews. However, is having a pleasant voice and using engaging catchphrases enough to succeed in this profession? In an industry focused on storytelling, why should the physical attractiveness of female sports broadcasters determine their employment opportunities? While many sports involve judges, there is an issue when it comes to the excessive and unfair evaluation of women in this field.
Sarah Spain, an ESPN Radio host and SportsCenter Reporter, gathers a team of female sports reporters to discuss the objectification of women, sexism, and other related concerns in the
...sports industry. In this context, men are typically assessed for their sports expertise, whereas women face scrutiny based on their looks and fashion choices. Regrettably, male sports enthusiasts often resort to issuing threats and posting derogatory comments towards women on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as in blog comment sections when they disagree with these reporters' viewpoints.
During the Podcast, the main focus was on the challenges that female sports reporters face when deciding what to wear for work. This issue is not surprising because women are constantly judged based on their appearance by both men and even other women. For example, a man may still stare at a woman's buttocks even if she is fully covered while walking to the train station. Likewise, instead of offering assistance, another woman may make comments about a woman's imperfect makeup
or hair. As a woman, it is uncomfortable to be objectified when attention is not sought. Unfortunately, there is limited control over how the public perceives you.
An Australian newscaster managed to go unnoticed while wearing the same suit every day for an entire year, whereas women have to carefully consider their outfits to avoid distractions. The top issue is that women constantly face scrutiny and comments about the amount of cleavage they show. It has become a challenge to find a balance between professionalism, appropriateness, and attractiveness for television. SportsCenter anchor Elle Duncan even admitted feeling so uncomfortable that she requested to stop doing on-camera leads. Hurtful words and unfair criticism undermine women's work, instead of valuing them for their knowledge and passion for the sport. One person who spoke up about this was Rebecca Haarlow.
She received criticism for having one untidy eyelash.
