An Examination of the Portrayal of Female Sexuality in Sports Movies

Within sports films, there is a noticeable lack of female characters, whether they are acting as the protagonist athletes or as support to male protagonist athletes. This project analyzes the way female characters and their sexualities are represented when they are featured in sports films. An investigation into seven films, A League of Their Own, Bend It Like Beckham, Bring It On, Bull Durham, Rocky, Stick It, and The Sandlot, which feature female characters and references to their sexualities, was conducted. These films represent themes of hypersexualization, sexual stereotypes, and adolescence. These themes contribute to ideas then presented in sports films that female sexuality is an obstacle to athletic achievement, for both men and women. This paper highlights the ways female sexuality is painted to be a distraction, burden, or jinx to the athletes and those around them. This analysis then reveals how sports films are perpetuating dangerous, heteronormative ideas about how female sexuality and athletic achievement are mutually exclusive.