Background:
The ESPN Body Issue is an annual publication that has been produced since 2009. The first issue of the ESPN Body Issue was published in 2009 and featured tennis player Serena Williams on the cover. Since then, the issue has continued to feature a diverse range of athletes from various sports, including Olympic gold medalists and professional athletes. Over the years, the Body Issue has been praised for its celebration of athleticism and for breaking down body stereotypes and stigmas.
“”The goal has always been for us to celebrate the athletic form – in every shape and size – and to allow people to stop and marvel at the works of art these bodies truly are””
Alison Overholt, editor-in-chief of ESPN The Magazine and espnW (Christie 2019:30)
However, it has also faced criticism for objectifying the athletes and perpetuating the idea that an athlete’s worth is based on their physical appearance. Despite the criticism, ESPN has defended the Body Issue, stating that it is a celebration of the human form’s beauty and power, and that the athletes involved have complete control over how they are portrayed. The ESPN Body Issue has become a highly anticipated annual event, and it continues to inspire and empower athletes around the world (Christie 2019).
Theory:
Erving Goffman’s gender display theory provides a useful framework for understanding how gender roles are constructed and reinforced through advertising (Goffman 1967). His theory suggests that individuals present themselves in ways that align with societal expectations of their gender, and that these expectations are often reflected in advertising. Goffman (1967) argues that men are typically shown in ways that display power, dominance, assertiveness, and agency, while women are shown in ways that display vulnerability, submissiveness, passiveness, and lack of agency. This theory has important implications for how male and female athletes are portrayed in the media, as their depiction may reinforce or challenge societal norms regarding gender roles. This research project aims to explore how Goffman’s theory plays out in the portrayal of male and female athletes in the ESPN Body Issue, examining whether there are differences in how they are depicted based on their gender, and what implications this may have for broader societal expectations of gender roles in sports.