…Hit the Net - Paperblog

This weekend saw some great tennis at both the men and women’s Wimbledon championships. Unfortunately, it also had its own controversy, courtesy of a questionable article on women’s body image issues in professional sports.

What body image issues?

Well, the ones that have now been created thanks to this highly publicized and article.

Yes, ladies, it seems that our “need” to appear “feminine” has been holding us back from achieving our true athletic potential. You know it’s true because someone told us it is.

True, there are a few quotes in this article from women who admittedly avoid any strenuous upper body exercise out of fear of becoming too bulky. But it’s not exactly an epidemic, and surely not the first thought on the minds of all female athletes. To imply otherwise is a bit reckless.

What the article does mention, but chooses not to dwell on is that most female professional athletes are focused on being the best they can be at their chosen sport. They don’t care if some people think that their muscles aren’t feminine. They know that being strong doesn’t make them any less of a woman.

The point, we all have our own insecurities. It’s part of what makes us human. To reduce an entire sex to just that one insecurity is missing the big picture.