Confronting stereotypes of female athletes

Put be in coach, I'm good
    By Sarah Holley

I am a female athlete. I play on the women's rugby team, and I love it. Actually, I love sports in general. I wear backward ball caps all the time, and I am more often seen in baggy jeans and flannels than in skirts and sweaters. And now I feel that there is something I must declare to the world: my name is Sarah, and I am a heterosexual.

"Wait, what?" you ask. "I thought that you were going to...well, never mind." Go ahead and say it: "Well, you're a lesbian, aren't you?"

Actually, I'm not, and sometimes I feel the need to "come out" as a heterosexual. Although my appearance is unambiguously female, the fact that I sometimes dress in a more typically masculine fashion and play a sport -- one that is labeled as a lesbian pastime -- has led many to assume that I "swing in the other direction." And this issue does not just apply to me and to the women's rugby team -- this is a trend that applies to many women in the athletic world.

Women in sports are confronted with the stigma of the lesbian stereotype to a greater degree than women in the general population. This is largely because by participating in the allegedly male world of sports, women have crossed over the invisible gender role lines and are stepping out of bounds. Traditional expectations for femininity do not encompass such traits as aggressiveness, independence, and tough-mindedness; these components of successful athletic performance fall under the definition of masculinity. In a sexist society, women with these qualities are suspect because they challenge social norms that are based on the acceptance of social constructions of gender.

Furthermore, the physical appearance of female athletes is stigmatized. Women who do not conform to traditional feminine standards of beauty and grace are often considered to be imitating men. But "masculine" characteristics such as muscularity and power have a direct relationship to the success of women athletes in their particular fields of competition. By classifying female athletes as "butch" or "dykes," rather than physically fit or strong, we fall prey to the negative connotations of lesbian stereotypes instead of recognizing these women's athletic physiques as the hard-earned achievements that they are.

These ignorant generalizations about women in sports feed into a more directly harmful issue: homophobia. Generally speaking, homosexuality is an enormously taboo topic. While many people are not overtly prejudiced or will not consciously admit to their intolerance, they are still uncomfortable discussing homosexuality or being in the company of gay and lesbian people. In our heterosexist society, homosexuality is dealt with by the adoption of a culturally enforced silence; this in turn has made accurate information and positive models of homosexuality more difficult to come by and has led to the proliferation of negative stereotypes and discrimination. Our culture is still trying to overcome the idea of homosexuality as being abnormal, sick, or even disgusting. Because of attitudes like this, most lesbian athletes carefully hide their sexual orientation because they fear discrimination and harassment.

This is a huge problem for woman athletes, since their world is a "locker room culture." The bonds formed between teammates are just as important as the connections formed in the athletic arena. The potential issues for lesbians in this social setting became apparent to me when the topic of team showers came up during a chat with a varsity friend. Although she had no problem with nudity in the locker room, she didn't like the idea of bathing with a lesbian in the shower room.

Within this locker room culture, the everyday chit-chat about personal issues is not always a freedom in which lesbians feel they can indulge. Because of the negative attitudes toward non-heterosexual behavior, many think that the acknowledgment of their sexual orientation would only create an uncomfortable atmosphere for their teammates and themselves. Many lesbian athletes feel forced into silence or lies that eventually take a great psychological and social toll.

Lesbians also have to deal with the prejudicial attitudes of their teammates once they are "out." I myself fell prey to these sort of homophobic traps when I first arrived at Yale. I will admit I had a relatively limited exposure to homosexuality growing up in a small Midwestern town. I was working on some tough rugby drills, and as I got increasingly frustrated, one of my teammates (who happened to be homosexual) was encouraging me through them. After practice, she gave my shoulder a little supportive squeeze. My head was buzzing with questions: Why did she do that? Oh my gosh, I think she's making a move. What do I do? Now the only question I ask myself is: Could I have been any more ridiculous?

So dear readers, take note: the stereotypes are not true. Your lesbian friends and teammates don't all want to hook up with you. Butch does not equal homosexual, and feminine does not equal straight. Open your minds and accept. Judge not by sexual orientation and physical appearance but rather by talents, performance, character, and integrity -- athletic and otherwise.

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