Built To Win: The Female Athlete As Cultural Icon (Volume 5)

by Leslie Heywood, Shari L. Dworkin (Contributor)

A timely look at the rise of women in sportsThe sculpted speed of Marion Jones. The grit and agility of Mia Hamm. The slam-dunk style of Lisa Leslie. The skill and finesse of these sports figures are widely admired, no longer causing the puzzlement and discomfort directed toward earlier generations of athletic women. Built to Win explores this relatively recent phenomenon—the confident, empowered female athletes found everywhere in American popular culture. Leslie Heywood and Shari L. Dworkin examine the role of female athletes through interviews with elementary- and high school-age girls and boys; careful readings of ad campaigns by Nike, Reebok, and others; discussions of movies like Fight Club and Girlfight; and explorations of their own sports experiences. They what, if any, dissonance is there between popular images and the actual experiences of these athletes? Do these images really “redefine femininity” and contribute to a greater inclusion of all women in sport? Are sexualized images of these women damaging their quest to be taken seriously? Do they inspire young boys to respect and admire female athletes, and will this ultimately make a difference in the ways gender and power are constructed and perceived?Proposing a paradigm shift from second- to third-wave feminism, Heywood and Dworkin argue that, in the years since the passage of Title IX, gender stereotypes have been destabilized in profound ways, and they assert that female athletes and their imagery are doing important cultural work to that end. Important, refreshing, and engrossing, Built to Win examines sport in all its complexity.

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Leslie Heywood is Professor of English and Creative Writing at SUNY-Binghamton, where she was a 2009 recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Activities. Interdisciplinary in focus, her areas are creative writing, gender studies, sport studies, science studies, and environmental studies.

Reviews

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book, agreeing, but wondering what is next for the female athlete. The book came out over a decade ago, before Instagram took over fitness "goals". A fit body is normalized, but what does that even mean?

As a young female athlete, I didn't understand feminism. Until I entered the work force in 2010, I thought everything was like sport: you were respected for the work you did. You can't argue measurable results.

Then I learned you can argue them.

I moved to support feminism completely. As Dworkin and Heywood explain, as an athlete, your body is your tool. You're completely dedicated to it, but also divorced from it? What more do you need? You express through it. Success is wrapped in identity (49). But outside of extreme accomplishments, people don't accept you when you leave the athletic world.

If you leave the athletic world, you have to negotiate people treating you differently solely because of your perceived sexuality. I'm really interested in reading more about this and negotiating it myself.

This book is nothing I didn't know, but It's 2016. Again, I need to learn more about social media perception.

[A.J. Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great depthful look at the iconography of the female athlete in popular culture. The results of focus groups with youth was particularly insightful. Important information to know and be aware. Unfortunately, the authors optimistic views have not materialized since this book was written.

[Malcolm · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent analysis of the image and experience of contemporary elite women athletes. Scholarly and engaged in the here and now.