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Cited by 122Sports, Gender, and SocietyGender, Feminism, and MediaMedia, Gender, and Advertising

Sporting Women and Social Media: Sexualization, Misogyny, and Gender-Based Violence in Online Spaces

Open access
Kavanagh, Emma, Litchfield, Chelsea, Osborne, Jaquelyn·2019·International Journal of Sport Communication
DOI 10.1123/ijsc.2019-0079
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Abstract

This study investigated gender-based violence targeting high-profile women in virtual environments through the case of women’s tennis. Using a netnographic approach and the lens of third-wave feminism, 2 popular social media platforms (Facebook and Twitter) were analyzed to examine social commentary and fan interaction surrounding the top-5-seeded female tennis players during the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. Athletes were exposed to violent interactions in a number of ways. Four themes were identified through data analysis: threats of physical violence, sexualization that focused on the female physical appearance, sexualization that expressed desire and/or proposed physical or sexual contact, and sexualization that was vile, explicit, and threateningly violent in a sexual or misogynistic manner. Findings demonstrate how social media provides a space for unregulated gender-based cyberhate targeting high-profile women in their workplace in a way that traditional sport media does not.

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Authors
Kavanagh, E., Litchfield, C., & Osborne, J.
Affiliations
  • Bournemouth University (GB)
  • Charles Sturt University (AU)
ORCID
Venue
International Journal of Sport Communication
Publisher
Human Kinetics
Published
2019-12-01
Volume
12
Issue
4
Pages
552-572
ISSN
  • 1936-3907 (ISSN-L)
  • 1936-3915
DOI
10.1123/ijsc.2019-0079
OpenAlex
W2995590669
Cited by
113
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 3
FWCI
12.67
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
public-domain
Locations
  • International Journal of Sport Communication (publishedVersion)
  • Bournemouth University Research Online (Bournemouth University) (acceptedVersion, public-domain)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Sports, Gender, and Society
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender, Feminism, and Media
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Media, Gender, and Advertising
Keywords
gender-based violence, sexualization, misogyny, women's tennis, social media, cyberhate, Wimbledon, third-wave feminism, online harassment, Facebook, Twitter, fan interaction, workplace harassment

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