We are more than just beautiful

Over the years, female athletes have become more involved in competitive sports. However, there remains a significant gap in media coverage between male and female athletes. Even when female athletes do receive media attention, it often focuses on devaluation, objectification, and reinforces gender stereotypes. This underrepresentation in the media diminishes the achievements of female athletes and perpetuates a narrative that prioritizes female athletes’ bodies and attractiveness. The emergence of social media platforms like Instagram has empowered female athletes to seize control over how they are portrayed and shape their own narrative. Therefore, my main question is how do female athletes self-represent on Instagram. To answer the question, a thematic analysis was employed. This analytical approach allowed for a systematic examination of posts and captions from diverse Instagram profiles belonging to 50 female athletes. Through this analysis, five distinct themes emerged. The first theme, ‘challenging promotional content,’ is about female athletes actively combating gender stereotypes and the lack of representation in mainstream media. The second theme, ‘sharing personal content’, highlights female athletes sharing personal information and everyday life and presenting themselves as relatable. Third theme, ‘challenging gender norms and objectification,’ showcases female athletes striving to challenge the perception that their worth is solely based on their physical attributes. The fourth theme, ‘interactive content’, demonstrates female athletes engaging with their followers and presenting themselves as social individuals. The fifth theme, ‘positioning themselves’, reveals female athletes self-representing as social agents and expressing their opinion on various social movements. The findings highlight that female athletes strive for authenticity and relatability in their representation. They acknowledge their celebrity status, but they utilize that to be seen as figures that people can look up to and feel related to. Moreover, the identified themes suggest that female athletes actively challenge gender norms and show a willingness to defy societal expectations and therefore become inspirational individuals.