Apparently, take off her clothes.

That uncomfortable reality sits at the heart of the backlash surrounding Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney’s new ad for sports betting company Novig. In it, Sweeney poses nearly nude, hugging footballs, basketballs, a tennis racket and other gear. The images are provocative and engineered to go viral, receiving over 22 million views in just two days.

What, exactly, are we being asked to notice? Sweeney? Her body? Or the sports themselves? That distinction is everything. This is not a call to police Sweeney’s choices; she has every right to own her image. Women can be sexual, self-assured and authentically themselves. The problem is when a woman’s body becomes the main event in a sports narrative, especially when she is not even an athlete.

The Fight to Be Seen

Women in sports already battle to be seen for their achievements, not just their bodies. Last year, nearly 3.54 million girls played high school sports in the U.S., accounting for 43% of all participants. At the college level, 242,341 women competed in NCAA athletics. Women are not side characters in American sports; they are nearly half the talent on the field, court, pool and track. Nevertheless, the struggle for equal opportunity is far from won. A 2024 GAO report shows women make up 56% of college students, yet only 42% of college athletes. At nearly two-thirds of colleges, women’s sports participation lags by at least 10 percentage points compared to enrollment. Four in ten colleges have not closed the gap since 2009-10. For decades, women have fought for funding, respect and the right to compete. Still, when they finally stand in the spotlight, another question arises: What are they being valued for? Female athletes face a constant balancing act. Strong, but not “too” strong; competitive, but always “feminine.” They are judged on their performances and their appearances, asked to perform at the highest level and then explain how they look doing it. Their bodies are both their instruments and their first hurdle.

There is no single age at which people start sexualizing girls in sports. Research does show, however, that the way female athletes are represented can affect how adolescent girls view both those athletes and themselves. Elizabeth Daniels, a developmental psychologist who researches gender, media and the experiences of girls and women, studied how different portrayals of female athletes affected adolescent girls and college women. In her 2012 study, Daniels examined responses from 258 girls ages 13-18 and 171 college women. She found that images of female athletes actively performing their sports encouraged viewers to focus on athletic ability and view those athletes as role models. Sexualized images, by contrast, encouraged more objectified views of both the athletes and themselves. Is it about what her body is doing or what her body looks like? 

Olympic figure skater Evgenia Medvedeva knows that line all too well. In a 2024 interview, she referenced being just 14 when judges told her to pad her costume because she did not have enough breasts for higher scores. Body commentary, she said, was simply routine in figure skating. Fourteen. At an age when most girls are still discovering themselves, an elite athlete was told she was not “feminine” enough. This is the culture young female athletes inherit.

Context Changes Everything

Sweeney’s response to the backlash made things even more tangled. She posted images of female athletes posing nude for ESPN’s Body Issue — Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, Caroline Wozniacki. Her argument: “Athletes do it too, so what is the difference?” The answer is context. Those athletes were featured because of what their bodies can do. The Body Issue celebrated the power, discipline and stories written in muscle and sweat. Those bodies were not just for display; years of training built them.

The Novig ad tells a different story. Sweeney is not there for her athletic skill; she is there for her appeal. That difference is exactly why so many athletes pushed back.

The Backlash from Pro Athletes

British sprinter Amy Hunt addressed Sweeney after competing at the Ultimate Championships, saying, “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like.” She pointed to the reality behind elite performance: “Muscles, hard work, sweat, blood tears.” Those are the things the advertisement leaves out. The exhaustion. The injuries. The early mornings. The failed races. The missed opportunities. The hours of practice when nobody is watching.

Australian Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus made a similar argument, calling the advertisement “a kick in the face” to women who have dedicated their lives to perfecting their craft. She questioned how society could still be “monetizing a woman’s body and sexualising women’s sport.” Boxer Skye Nicolson made perhaps the clearest distinction: “There’s a big difference between looking ‘sexy’ because you do sport compared to using sex to sell ‘sport’.”

Its significance matters even more when considering how few female athletes actually make it to the professional level. The NCAA estimates only 0.8% of women’s college basketball players were drafted into the WNBA in 2024. Including international professional opportunities, NCAA estimates 9.1% of that cohort had professional opportunities. For most female college athletes, playing professionally is not the next step. It is an extraordinarily narrow path. The women who do make it have already spent years proving they belong. They should not then have to compete with another standard of attention, one that asks whether women are attractive enough to sell the sport.

Choice vs. Expectation

The history of women’s sports uniforms shows how complicated that expectation could become. In 2021, Norway’s women’s beach handball team was fined €1,500 after its players wore shorts instead of the bikini bottoms required by competition rules. The European Handball Federation classified the shorts as “improper clothing” and fined each player €150. The controversy was not about whether the athletes could play in the shorts. It was about whether they were showing the expected amount of skin. The real problem lies in the tension between choice and expectation. Nothing is wrong with a female athlete choosing a bikini. Nothing is wrong with an athlete choosing shorts. Nothing is wrong with a woman choosing to pose nude. The problem comes when women are expected to display their bodies to participate, compete, or attract attention. That is why this issue goes beyond Sweeney herself. Her campaign followed a well-worn playbook: appeal to the male gaze, go viral, and rake in exposure. Novig got what it wanted; the bigger question is what this strategy says about how women are still sold in sports.

Representation is not just about women being visible; it is about what they are valued for. A young athlete should see a woman in a sports ad and think, “I want to be that strong.” She should see a swimmer and want to work that hard. She should see an athlete and be inspired by what her body can do, not just how it looks. Beauty and sexuality are not the issue; it is the difference between valuing a woman’s accomplishments and using her body for clicks. Those are not the same.

A woman can be exceptional at her sport and still find that her appearance gets more attention than her performance. Women in sports have invested generations fighting to be seen as more than bodies. They have demanded the right to compete, to lead, to inspire. As a woman in sports, I know an athlete is never just a body. She is the hours no one sees, the losses she learns from, the work she puts in and the moments she earns.  Young girls are watching. They deserve to see women honored for their power and achievement. Women in sports are competitors, athletes, leaders, teammates and champions. Watch them for what they can do, not just for how they look.

Many young men today are facing a crisis of masculinity, which has prompted many to turn to the internet as a source of escape, validation and community. These keyboard warriors have spawned across all social media platforms, from Reddit to TikTok, and have established movements that decry feminism and validate sexist opinions. Dubbed the “manosphere,” this online world blames women for the challenges men face and is a cesspool of toxic masculinity, victim complexes and overall dehumanization of women and non-cisgendered-heterosexual men. 

These strange, disturbing subcommunities include all types of misogynist rhetoric, all of which share the sentiment of male victimhood. Many of these communities, such as incels and self-proclaimed “men’s rights activists,” criticize modern feminism as an institution that has decreased male power within society and thereby victimizes men. 

These videos by manosphere influencers, such as Andrew Tate, are almost humorous in their over-the-top rhetoric and content, but it’s also shockingly scary that these influencers are shaping young boys and men. The impact goes beyond just spreading offensive misogynist ideas. There is a link between the “manosphere” and right-wing extremism. There are several instances in which young men who were radicalized by online rhetoric inflicted real-world violence upon victims, often women. In 2020, a San Bernadino man, who was a prominent men’s rights activist online, murdered two people when targeting a female judge.

Podcasting has become a popular medium for men’s rights activists to spread superficial “hustle” culture and misogynist ideas. If you tune into these podcasts, such as “Fresh and Fit,” hosted by Walter “Fresh” Weeks and Myron “Fit” Gaines, you can get generic financial and fitness tips— with a side of sexism. “Fresh and Fit” often invite female guests, many of whom are models and sex workers, to humiliate them and insist that they “deserve less” because of their work. They even published a book, “Why Women Deserve Less,” which, if you couldn’t tell from the title, is about why women should earn less and are using men for money. 

Even one of the most popular shows on the podcast charts, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” is part of this manosphere. Although Joe Rogan’s podcast is more tame than the constant barrage of sexism spewed by other podcasts, he has made several sexist and racist remarks in the past, comparing a Black neighborhood to “Planet of the Apes,” lamenting about white male victimhood and laughing as a guest bragged about conducting quid pro quo sexual assault. He has also invited problematic guests, such as the leader of the Proud Boys, a neo-fascist hate group that participated in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, who claimed that his feature on “The Joe Rogan Experience” boosted recruitment numbers. Joe Rogan has been rewarded for his problematic behavior, attracting a mostly white, male audience with a $100 million deal with Spotify.

As an avid podcast listener and feminist, I know the absurdity of these types of podcasts is ridiculous but also harmful. Of course, it is nothing new that extremist and harmful ideas are present on social media; however, it is frustrating when they enter the mainstream. If you want to protest the popularity of manosphere podcasts, there are plenty of other good listening options to support. Here are some of my favorite podcasts that celebrate female empowerment and gender inclusivity to help you escape the nastiness of the manosphere.

Stuff Mom Never Told You

I’ve been a longtime listener of this podcast, and the hosts Anney Reese and Samantha McVey use intersectional feminism to examine culture, history and science. This podcast highlights the experiences and stories of women and other marginalized groups. One of my favorite things about this podcast is that it features stories I’ve never heard about, such as the story of Sissiertta Jones, the first Black woman to headline a concert at Carnegie Hall.

Call Her Daddy

This is another podcast that I’ve been a fan of for a long time . The show has faced controversy in the past for perpetuating sexist stereotypes and offensive comments, but it has undergone a transformation for the better and its new content is much more inclusive. “Call Her Daddy” is the most listened-to podcast by women, and the host, Alex Cooper, has shattered the glass ceiling in podcasting by signing a $60 million 3-year deal with Spotify. Cooper interviews female celebrities and shares her own experiences regarding dating, navigating female friendships and the overall experiences of being a woman in her 20s. This podcast uses comedy to break down the stigma around sexuality and mental health. Cooper has also tackled serious topics such as sexual harassment, homophobia and online bullying through her interviews and personal stories.

The Mel Robbins Podcast 

The host, Mel Robbins, is a famous and accomplished writer whose advice and self-help books, “The Five Second Rule”’ and “The High Five Habit,” have led her to become a New York Times bestseller and have one of the most watched TED Talks ever. Robbins interviews a variety of guests spanning from medical professionals to psychologists to discuss relatable topics such as relationships, mental health and procrastination in an honest way and gives science-backed tips to her listeners. Robbins’s honesty and vulnerability in sharing her experiences is refreshing. Her wisdom on overcoming imposter syndrome, navigating your 20s and healing have helped me immensely.

Binchtopia

Hosts Eliza McLamb and Julia Hava are both young podcast hosts who are hilarious and have really insightful views on culture, politics and society. They use sociological and psychological perspectives on a variety of topics ranging from serious ones, such as reproductive rights and diet culture, to much lighter ones, such as horse girls and furries. This podcast is one of my recent favorites, and I find their commentary both hilarious and educational. Their discussion about the Manosphere inspired this article, so you should definitely check it out! 

Why Won’t You Date Me

Nicole Byer is the host of this podcast and a self-professed “perpetual singleton.” Byer’s podcast is refreshingly sex-positive and invites her friends and fellow comedians to share their crazy dating stories. I was introduced to “Why Won’t You Date Me” through her interview on “Call Her Daddy,” and I was drawn to Byer’s wit and personality. Women of color are underrepresented in the podcasting sphere, and this podcast is breaking old norms by openly talking about dating as a Black woman.

I hope this list of podcasts inspires you to give them a listen and boost female-led podcasting. There are so many great options to escape the podcast manosphere – and expand your worldview in the process! 

Established in 2020, the Gender Inclusivity and Feminism Team (GIFT) at William Jewell College is a student-led organization that aims to promote a safe and positive culture pertaining to gender identity and related issues.

The organization focuses its efforts and funds into providing physical resources as well as a space for serious discussion about equality. Although GIFT specifies itself to be an organization inspired by traditional feminism, they aspire to expand this definition to support all gender identities through their events and advocacy.

“Jewell prides itself in being an inclusive and diverse campus; however, that does not mean that the community is without issues. It is for this reason that it is so important to have organizations like GIFT on campus. We want to help students feel comfortable with discussing and pursuing their gender identities, but first, we have to offer them a safe, [and] even encouraging, space for that,” junior Alexis Harper, who serves as GIFT’s Events Chair, said.

As one of the organization’s largest tasks, the leadership works with students, staff and faculty to distribute free menstrual products in all the campus’ restrooms and emergency condoms in all the dorms. New this year, GIFT is hoping to partner with the Student Senate and Student Health Center to ensure that a consistent supply of products are available to the community, rather than relying on donations alone.

GIFT also hosts regular events — snacks included — to discuss topics like gender identity portrayal in the media and family dynamics surrounding traditional gender roles. As an example, GIFT holds a Halloween movie night every year in late-October, raffling out sex-positive “Sweet & Spicy” gift bags following the post-movie discussion.

“The Halloween movie night is one of our most popular discussion events, especially because of the items we give out,” Harper said. “The importance of this event is to not only create interest in GIFT and discuss these important issues, but to also destigmatize taboo ideas that are associated with sex and intimacy especially in the case of non-heteronormative relations. Of course, we keep everything in the raffle anonymous to protect the winners’ privacy; [however,] we hope that giving students the opportunity to win sex toys will pave the way for future sex-positive conversations, perhaps with a partner or trusted friend.”

GIFT — like other student organizations and clubs — experienced a low-point during the 2021-22 academic year as the COVID-19 pandemic peaked. However, with the ability to host more social and promotional events, the organization is seeing a steady increase in student interest this year, according to Harper. For students looking to participate in GIFT’s events or services, there are no official membership requirements or commitments to follow.

The organization’s cabinet consists of five equally important roles with Azadeh Rafizadeh, professor of mathematics, designated as their faculty sponsor. This year, the following students are serving at GIFT’s leadership:

• junior Alexis Harper as Events Chair;
• sophomore Kaelyn Cox as Project Management Chair;
• junior Jolia Bernal as Engagement Chair;
• first-year Koda Payton as Communications Chair; and 
• junior Liz Payton as Finance Chair.

Students can get involved in GIFT by reaching out to the clubs leadership by sending an email to giftcabinet@wjclan.jewell.edu, following @wjc.gift on Instagram, or by attending any of the upcoming events.

Every guy loves sports, because sports are something only men can enjoy. Women don’t like them because they’re not related to fashion or shopping, so they’re either bored or they hurt themselves because they’re too delicate. But sometimes, there’s always that one girl that claims she loves sports.

It is of general knowledge that no woman actually likes sports, it’s not in their nature. They only say that to get a guy’s attention – everyone knows that. Girls try to trick guys all the time, and pretending to understand sports it’s just one of them.

“Yeah, I’ve met one of those before. She wasn’t that cute, but she was okay, that’s why I talked to her. At first, when I asked her the players’ names and positions she knew the answers. But I knew that she was just trying to impress me when I asked her the blood type of the dog of the second cousin of the Chiefs quarterback from 1975 and she didn’t know the answer. You just can’t trust women, dude” shared anonymous frat guy with the Monitor.

Some women dare to try to be like men and play sports too. But it is a known fact that they will never be as good as men – they’re too emotional and don’t know how to play as a team, because that’s just how women are. No one would rather watch a female team play than a male team. Women should stick to what they were made for, which is not sports.

Most men would agree with the statement, but for some reason, a few guys disagree.

“This one time I was watching TV and they had women’s soccer on. First I was surprised to see that women knew what soccer was. Then, I was confused on how they the game came to be aired on TV. You can imagine how I felt when I realized that that game was their World Cup. After seeing that I thought, maybe girls like sports too?” said another anonymous source.

Some sources have seen the same pattern going on the video games world. It is quite understandable for women to go after athletes, but there is no rational explanation to why they were pretending to like video games to impress nerds.   

“It is obvious they’re only doing it for attention. They know they will be the only girl online, so they’ll will be the center of attention. They’re are usually ugly, for sure. That’s why they’re online, so no one knows how they actually look like” shared a confidential source, that lives in his mom’s basement.  

Overall, it is still not a confirmed fact if females are capable of liking sports or not. Most of the male population claims that it’s impossible, but there are studies in progress right now to determine if women are capable of doing something such as liking and playing sports for self pleasure, and not to impress guys.

Hopefully, with the conclusions of those studies, it will be clear that women don’t have the capacity to do anything without the intent of getting male attention.