Women between the ages of 18-21 are known to have the worst body image problems. But what about female athletes? ESPN claims that these are women who are supposed to have the “best” bodies that most females idolize.
We wanted to hear what the athletes had to say about their changing bodies.
How do they feel bench-pressing more weight than their male friends and boyfriends? How do they feel having to stretch out their shirts to fit over their muscles? How do they feel when other girls call them intimidating?
By Nicole Diantonio and Taylor Williams
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I think that this is a great piece. I was an athlete in college (volleyball) and was so proud of how fit my body was an the effort it took to achieve the results I wanted. My body and muscle tone may have been different than the idolized feminine body type based on cultural norms, but I worked for it and was proud.
I think that the ESPN Body Issue which features nude athletes and their muscular bodies is a very cool way to accept the different body types that athletes sport.
Liz,
Thanks for your feedback! We agree with your sentiments; everyone should be proud of the body they have, especially if they worked for it. We’ll be posting an article soon about body image in the New Year, hope you enjoy it!