Games and Sets: Women, Media and Sport in Israel

The feminist critique of sport that has been sounded for over three decades concludes that the marginalization and trivialization of female athletes only serves to perpetuate male domination of women. Specifically within the Israeli context, although female athletes are represented in both team and individual sports, and although they have proven themselves in major sporting events, they do not enjoy equal treatment compared with male athletes. This article examines the role of the media in relation to women's sport and female athletes and offers a more focused discussion of the Israeli case. We argue that the media fulfill important functions regarding women's image in general, and a particularly crucial role in the context of women in sport. To be sure, the media cannot change the inequality in sport itself, an issue that demands profound and immediate treatment in Israel. However, the media can contribute by sparking a wider initiative toward the promotion of women's sport and women in sport.