ABSTRACT
Sports journalism and other forms of sports media have been critiqued for framing women in sports in ways that undermine their credibility as athletes, and thus NBC’s decision to highlight Biles can be understood as a response to longstanding feminist calls for change. The shift toward public support for girls and women in sports is reflected in what appears to be a progressive movement in how they are covered by sports journalists. Scholars investigating the representation of female athletes often rely on the concept of hegemonic masculinity to explain the challenges girls and women face in attracting coverage that situates them as accomplished and credible athletes. Sports journalists covering the anniversary repeatedly touted the statistical growth of participation among girls and women in sports, and provided wide visibility to the liberal feminist position of advocating for opportunity. An intersectional approach to studying representation also enables an articulation of oppression that takes into account that neither is a universal experience.
