The "Position" Women Play in Sports Media

When you think of the word position and sports you probably think about a pitcher, goalkeeper, or a quarterback. Many women and men play other positions off the field as well but particularly women athletes that are attractive play a different position than ones that are classified as "less attractive" by whoever classifies them. Let's take Alex Morgan, for example, she is a phenomenal soccer player who plays for the US women's national team. You probably have seen her face on many promotional ads as well as other brands outside of soccer brands not because she is the best female soccer player some might argue there are better ones but because she is "the most attractive". Most companies running ads targeted toward people who are fans of sports pick the most attractive women to be on their ads because they know men like to look at attractive women so then it makes them more likely to buy the product they are advertising. This happens with women athletes across all women's sports. More recently sports illustrated has put the "chubbier" athletes into their body issue to promote body positivity and I think is fantastic and all ads should include women with all body types. This is especially important for women athletes who are in ads that younger women see because no one should be ashamed of their body and only seeing attractive and fit women is not beneficial to young women.