Athletes or Eye Candy:Messages Sports Illustrated Magazine Sends to Men about Women

By: Meghan ZapiecMajors: Sociology & Religious StudiesHometown: Sewell, New Jersey

Eng. 110 Instructor: Dr. Cassie Kircher

With thanks to Dr. Jean Schwind who provided this

assignment

Project DescriptionMagazine Data 1Magazine Data 2

Appearance ChartAthlete Chart

Summer 1999July/August 2000Sept. / Oct. 2000

English 110 ObjectiveThe Writing Process

What I Learned

Project Description My project looks at covers of Sports

Illustrated Magazine to see how women are depicted.› The magazine is predominantly subscribed to

by males. Therefore, the focus of this

project is to determine the messages that the magazine sends to men about females, particularly female athletes.

Magazine Data 1 Magazine Data 2 Appearance Chart Athlete Chart Summer 1999 July/August 2000 Sept./Oct. 2000 English 110 Objective The Writing Process What I LearnedHome

Sports Illustrated Read by 23 million adults each week

› 18 million are men 1st published in 1954

› 1st swimsuit issue in 1964

Sports Illustrated for Women A bi-monthly sports magazine for

women> Targeted 300,000 18-34 year old women

1st published in March 2000› Last issue published in November 2002

Project Description Magazine Data 2 Appearance Chart Athlete Chart Summer 1999 July/August 2000 Sept./Oct. 2000 English 110 Objective The Writing Process What I LearnedHome

Sports Illustrated Magazine Total # of issues analyzed = 1,576 # of covers featuring only men = 1,450 # of covers featuring only women = 70 # of covers with both men & women =

27 Other = 29

› This includes animals, landscapes, equipment, money, etc. without people.

Project Description Magazine Data 1 Appearance Chart Athlete Chart Summer 1999 July/August 2000 Sept./Oct. 2000 English 110 Objective The Writing Process What I Learned Home

Appearance of Men vs. Women on Sports Illustrated Covers Men Women

Fully Clothed Without Shirts

0200400600800

1,0001,2001,4001,600 94.6 %

5.4 %

Fully Clothed In Swimsuits01020304050607080 76.3 %

23.7 %

Project Description Magazine Data 1 Magazine Data 2 Athlete Chart Summer 1999 July/August 2000 Sept./Oct. 2000 English 110 Objective The Writing Process What I Learned Home

Athletes vs. Non-Athletes on Sports Illustrated CoversMen Women

1,468

29

AthletesNon-Ath-letes

(1.9 %)

(98.1 %) 72

25 AthletesNon-Ath-letes

(25.8 %)

(74.2 %)

Project Description Magazine Data 1 Magazine Data 2 Appearance Chart Summer 1999 July/August 2000 Sept./Oct. 2000 English 110 Objective The Writing Process What I Learned Home

Summer 1999Women Featured in

Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated

For Women

Project Description Magazine Data 1 Magazine Data 2 Appearance Chart Athlete Chart July/August 2000 Sept./Oct. 2000 English 110 Objective The Writing Process What I LearnedHome

July/August 2000Women Featured in

Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated

For Women

Project Description Magazine Data 1 Magazine Data 2 Appearance Chart Athlete Chart Summer 1999 Sept./Oct. 2000 English 110 Objective The Writing Process What I LearnedHome

September/October 2000Women Featured in

Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated

For Women

Project Description Magazine Data 1 Magazine Data 2 Appearance Chart Athlete Chart Summer 1999 July/August 2000 English 110 Objective The Writing Process What I Learned Home

English 110 Objective A more sophisticated understanding

of the relationship of purpose, audience, and voice

An awareness that writing expectations and conventions vary within the academy and professional and public discourse

Project Description Magazine Data 1 Magazine Data 2 Appearance Chart Athlete Chart Summer 1999 July/August 2000 Sept./Oct. 2000 The Writing Process What I Learned Home

Writing Process Because this report was directed towards the

social sciences, we were required to use APA formatting. This was not something I had used before, nor was I familiar with any aspect of it.

While writing the paper, I was required to be constantly aware of the changes I would have to make from my normal style.

Another difficulty I faced was simply focusing the paper.

Most importantly, I had to keep in mind my audience. I needed to maintain formality and follow the guidelines to the point.

Project Description Magazine Data 1 Magazine Data 2 Appearance Chart Athlete Chart Summer 1999 July/August 2000 Sept./Oct. 2000English 110 Objective What I LearnedHome

What I Learned from the Project

This project helped me to realize the strong influence of the media.

I learned the differences in a paper directed towards the social sciences compared to the humanities.

I learned the importance of relating data to the topic while still maintaining an objective view.

This project added to and enhanced my knowledge of writing with a certain audience and purpose .

Project Description Magazine Data 1 Magazine Data 2 Appearance Chart Athlete Chart Summer 1999 July/August 2000 Sept./Oct. 2000English 110 Objective The Writing Process Home