If you watched the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, you witnessed many historic feats. Simone Manuel becoming the first African-American woman to win gold in an individual swimming race, Katie Ledecky setting a world record in the 800m freestyle, and the Final Five gymnastics team breaking the team scoring record by more than eight points. Not to mention there's also Helen Maroulis, who brought home gold in women's wrestling for the first time in U.S. Olympic history. And finally, nobody could forget Allyson Felix becoming the most decorated women in U.S. track and field history, alongside her teammates Nia Ali, Brianna Rollins, and Kristi Castlin who swept women's 100m hurdles placing 1-2-3. There was no doubt about it, the Olympics proved that it's a great time to be an American—specifically, an American woman.
By the numbers, the American women walked away from XXXI Olympiad with the majority of the United States' medals; they broke more records, they were all anyone could talk about—and rightfully so. And yet, the media is paying more attention to Ryan Lochte's drunken scandal than they are about Aly Raisman's incredible comeback. While people are quick to claim "boys will be boys" in Lochte's case, many are quick to call Gabby Douglas a "monster" for not putting her hand over her heart during the U.S. national anthem.
Even though American women undoubtedly dominated these Olympic games, they are not being recognized to the same degree as they would be if they were men. They are picked apart, judged on the smallest details that would simply be overlooked if they happened to be male instead. Here are a few examples of sexism alive in the media regarding the Olympics.
What does her husband's job have anything to do with her Olympic success?
Because "Ledecky breaks world record" wouldn't have been that great of a headline.
Thank you, Andy Murray.
One NBC reporter went as far as to say that the Final Five gymnastics team celebrating Simone Biles' nearly perfect beam routine looked as if they were "standing in the middle of a mall."
A Fox News anchor actually went as far as to comment on whether or not women athletes should wear makeup when competing saying, "Would you put money behind a gal that won the gold medal that looks like a washed out rag?” That's right, a male news commentator actually said that about female Olympic athletes.
The fact of the matter is that these women have sacrificed a lot to get to the Olympics. They have put themselves through hell, they are their own biggest critics. There is no need for the media to critique them even further. Because at the end of the day, they will be remembered for being Olympians, for their individual triumphs—not for their makeup, or their spouse, or even their competitors.
Undercutting women's achievements at the Olympics, whether intentional or not, is disheartening considering what they've accomplished to be there. Especially when many of the remarks present sexist and misogynistic undertones. Here's hoping that commentators will have learned a thing or two by the time we head of Tokyo in 2020.
