Why Sydney Sweeney's nude ad struck such a nerve with women athletes
A sports-betting ad featuring a semi-nude Sydney Sweeney triggered a backlash across women's sports , with female athletes flooding social media with a countermessage: This is what women in sports actually look like. The big picture: Ads have long sexualized women, but the Novig ad's appeal to the male gaze hit differently at a moment when female athletes have cultural cachet and the platforms to…
The recent Sydney Sweeney semi-nude betting ad sparked outrage among women athletes, with many using social media to counter the message that women in sports are merely sexual objects for male consumption. The ad's appeal to the male gaze resonated differently at a time when female athletes have cultural influence and the platforms to challenge the narrative.
British sprinter Amy Hunt highlighted the message that women in sports look like 21.4, emphasizing hard work, blood, sweat, and tears. Women's sports are experiencing rapid growth, with record participation in the NCAA and projected U.S. women's sports revenue growth of over 250% by 2030. However, Professor Cheryl Cooky, who studies sports and gender, notes that traditional media still covers women's sports less than it should.
The ad, while possibly targeting sports bettors, struck a nerve because it reminded people that we haven't yet fully moved past the idea that women in sports are sexual objects for men. Brands often follow cultural trends, so when feminism is prominent, they promote empowerment, but when the tide turns against women, advertising can reinforce backlash.
Social media has empowered women in sports to create their own narratives, resisting traditional gatekeepers' attention to these issues. The male gaze is not a new phenomenon, but women athletes' power and access to platforms to challenge it is.
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