CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by Bournemouth University Research Online Running head: SPORTING WOMEN AND SOCIAL MEDIA TITLE: Sporting women and social media: sexualization, misogyny and gender based violence in online spaces Emma Kavanagh¹, Chelsea Litchfield² & Jaquelyn Osborne² ¹Department of Sport and Physical Activity, Bournemouth University, Poole, England ² School of Exercise Science, Sport and Health, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, Australia; Corresponding Author: Dr Emma Kavanagh Department of Sport and Physical Activity Faculty of Management Bournemouth University Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset, BH12 5BB, UK.
[email protected] SPORTING WOMEN AND SOCIAL MEDIA Abstract This study investigated gender based violence targeted at high profile women in virtual environments through presenting the case of women’s tennis. Using a netnographic approach and third wave feminist lens, an analysis of two popular social media platforms (Facebook and Twitter) was conducted to examine the social commentary and fan interaction surrounding the top five 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 analysis of data: threats of physical violence; sexualisation that focussed on the female physical appearance; sexualisation that expressed desire and/or proposed physical or sexual contact; and sexualisation 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 while in their workplace in a way that traditional sports media does not. Keywords: Social Media, Abuse, Gender, Violence, Sport SPORTING WOMEN AND SOCIAL MEDIA Introduction Academic scholars are increasingly raising concern about the disproportionate levels of gender-based violence experienced by women in virtual spaces suggesting this to be a global pandemic (Ging & Siapera, 2018).