AbstractsWomens Studies

Title IX's passage into law in 1972 set women’s sports on a course toward gender equity with men's sports at the scholastic and collegiate levels, leading to a definitive growth in women’s professional leagues, corresponding athlete salaries, and athletic marketing and promotional prospects. However, disparities currently exist in the availability and type of marketing and promotional opportunities between male and female athletes, and more specifically, between white and black female athletes. As today's American culture has sought to reward women that push the envelope of their sexual identity and presentation, it is important to thoroughly explore the concept of selling sex in women's professional sports and then examine who is selling sex and why they are able to do so successfully. The general objective of this study is to contribute to the field of critical race theory, particularly in the area of selling sex in women's professional sports. Specifically, the aim of this study is to uncover disparities and highlight differing goals as they pertain to the commodification of white and black female athletes. In achieving that goal, this study analyzes the visual depictions of tennis stars, Anna Kournikova and Venus Williams, on Sports Illustrated magazine covers and in print advertising through the lens of critical race theory to identify how these women were depicted and represented in the public eye as white and black female athletes. This study seeks to investigate, reveal, explain, and reason why white and black female athletes sell themselves differently within contemporary Western societies.