A screening of “Playing Fair: The Media Image of the Female Athlete” and a discussion of female athleticism will be presented at 6 p.m. Friday, March 2, in UALR’s Donaghey Student Center Room D.

The event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the Gender Studies Student Association.

“In the 40 years after Congress passed Title IX legislation prohibiting sex discrimination in educational institutions, including athletics, the male-dominated world of sports journalism has yet to catch up,” said Dr. Roxy M. Green, assistant professor of philosophy and liberal arts. “Coverage of women’s sports lags far behind men’s and focuses on female athletes’ femininity and sexuality over their achievements on the court and field.”

While female athleticism challenges gender norms, women athletes continue to be depicted in traditional roles that reaffirm their femininity – as wives and mothers or sex objects. By comparison, male athletes are framed according to heroic masculine ideals that honor courage, strength, and endurance.

The UALR Gender Studies Student Association is a student group committed to the eradication of oppression in all forms, including sexism, heterosexism, and racism. GSSA meetings are every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. in Stabler Hall Room 307. Meetings are open to the public. For more information contact Dr. Roxy M. Green.