In American society, we often gather around a television set to watch and either cheer on our favorite teams or boo and curse the opposing team. Either in the comfort of our own homes or in public places like sports bars, we in American society really value and praise many sports teams that bring us much enjoyment. However, while we often cheer and celebrate the many successes and wins of our respective teams, we as a society rarely discuss the problematic behavior that often follows sports culture.
Along with the stress and pressure to perform, many athletes are under immense stress and pressure to look a certain way, depending on what sport they are playing. In gymnastics, cheer, and figure skating, sports that are often female dominated, many athletes are often pressured to fit into a certain image that people imagine for the sport. Small, thin, and, really, “girl-like”, these sports pressure many women into feeling the need to change and alter their bodies to fit within a standard that is not healthy or beneficial.
And this pressure does not just end with women. Men too are also forced and pressured into fitting within a certain image and standard that is often associated with certain sports. Particularly with muscle mass and weight, many male athletes are often pressured into fitting within a certain weight category in order to participate in certain sports, which thus often forces them into changing their weight to take part in the sport.
I am not against sports. What I am against, however, is the immense pressure and toxic standards we hold athletes to that is rooted in problematic, misguided, and dangerous behavior. We are all made differently, and I do not believe that anyone, whether male or female, should try to fit a standard that was never designed for them in the first place.
