CANDACE PARKER

I really hope this blog gets going again because I want to encourage people to get out and catch some WNBA games this summer. I just got back from an LA Sparks game and watched Candace Parker dunk!!!!!!! One of the greatest moments ever!!

Tiarra Warner

Taking Over Gymnastics!

As I was browsing through ESPN.com for news on female athletes, I happen to come across a link to the gymnastics page. My first instinct was, oh this should be good, a female dominated sport, they should have some good news here. But I was quickly surprised to see that the only news they had was the results from the Men's Championship. Now don't get me wrong, men gymnasts have just as much hard times getting media coverage as female gymnasts do but I thought there would be more news or information about the women then the men. As was discussed in class, gymnastics is one of those sports that involves lots of pressure to look good while also giving them hardships about what the typical female athlete should perform like. Being graceful but assertive and strong but sexy is a very hard image to up hold especially when you are in the spot light only wearing a leotard, leaving the rest to the audience's imagination. To me gymnastics is usually a female dominated sport but I guess I wasn't completely on track. Although I was surprised with what I found on ESPN.com I believe that it is just as important for men to prove themselves in sports like gymnastics, cheerleading or dance as it is for women to prove themselves in basketball, soccer, or hockey. It seems there will always be a constant struggle to fight for one's right to be an athlete.

Katelin Perry

Danica Patrick

A few weeks ago at the Indy Japan 300, Danica Patrick became the first woman to ever win an IndyCar race. This was of course a huge moment not only for Danica, who had long been considered the Anna Kournakova of racing, but for female athletes everywhere. Most of the media coverage was the same, all of them congratulating her while at the same time trivializing her accomplishment with comments such as "Beauty is a Beast" and "Danica proves she's not just a piece of meat." Every single article included some kind of photo of her, usually wearing a little bikini. One article made sure to include that she happened to cry which was only significant because she is a woman. Another article gave the credit of the win to her pit crew. While all of these articles were rather disappointing in their portrayal of Danica and her accomplishment, it was also typical of what's to be expected. Being an attractive woman who has marketed herself and her body, Danica is first recognized as a sexual object, second as an athlete. Sara Stith kin338I.S7

WNBA offers fashion and makeup tips to its rookies

I actually first heard about this while I was watching sports center. My first reaction was one of shock and I thought i may have heard incorrectly. As part of a two day orientation WNBA rookies learned how to apply blush to the apples of their cheeks and how to put on eyeliner "to recieve the right attention off the court." Basically the WNBA is becoming more image conscious and is trying to market their players to expand the fan base which in turn means more profit for the league. But at what cost? Makeupo sessions are meant for middle school sleepovers and have absolutely no place in an orientation for a professional basketball team, even if that team is made up of female athletes. it is insulting and implies that these women have to look pretty as well as be increadably talented in order to get any recognition. It is completely disrespectful and trivialzes the athletic abilities and accomplishments of these female athletes. Sara Stith 338I.S7

A few weeks ago my friend invited me to her sisters little league game. So I went and watched her sister play, I noticed how skinny her sister was getting. So I asked my friend is her sister had been sick, she said no, she has been trying to lose weight. I found myself in a state a shock. I couldnt believe it her sister was only 10. I asked her why, and she said because the coach said it would be better for her in the future if she lost a little weight and started to eat better. Again I was still in shock. So I started to explain to her how this was not heathly, for her especially since she is only 10. I remembered about what we had learned about in class about the triad. So I tried to explain to her about the the triad, and the effects it could have on her sister. I started to ask her why her mom was letting her sister do this, and she said because her mom is the same way, and is a very healthy person. My friend admited to me that her mom was encouraging this weight lose in her sister. So after hearing about this I went home and was thinking about this for the rest of the day. There wasnt much I could do because she wasnnt my sister, I emailed my friend all the information about what can happen in the triad. So far she has been helping her sister, which makes me happy. All of this has made me realize our society today is so concered about image, and being skinny its sad. Learning about all of the risk factors in the triad, and how a lot of them occur when the girl is younger, helped me help my friends sister. And in the end I hope things will change for her sister, and maybe her coach, and her mom will realize what they are doing to her.


Jennie Rosique Kin338I T-Th 2-315

WNBA maybe losing focus to gain attention

In order to expand the fan base for the WNBA, the WNBA is marketing its players and is now offering rookies lessons in fashion and makeup. What does fashion and makeup have to do with sports? Instead of using their time to train more for basketball and become better players, the WNBA wants their lady athletes to focus on being pretty and looking feminine to attract customers. This is the wrong direction to take for the league and is demeaning women by doing this. If they want more customers, they need to improve their league through basketball orientated things such as a faster tempo, or more flash in the games, but to do it through make up and fashion is wrong and is sending out the wrong message to little girls around the nation. I believe the reason they are really doing this is to offset the league from the lesbian homophobia, in which they are often exposed to. With new talent in the league such as Candace Parker, their focus should be on showing how much talent women athletes can really have instead of worrying too much about other thinking they are lesbians but then again it is somewhat of a catch 22 situation for the league as they try to improve their market base. More can be found on this issue at

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/sky/cs-080502-wnba-chicago-sky-rookies,1,32377.story?page=1

Arthur Lusikyan kin338 Tu/Th 2-3:15

below posted by Natalie W.

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