Women in sports keep proving themselves. Why isn’t that enough?
Photo Courtesy of John Mac- Wikimedia Commons
If you have been living under a rock, or better yet, you are not shackled to social media, then let me quickly fill you in on a recent and pressing controversy. Actress Sydney Sweeney is facing backlash for her risqué—more like provocative—advertisement for the sports prediction platform Novig. The ad features her mostly nude, minus the parts of her body covered by various sports equipment, saying, “You think you know sports? Prove it.”
After the advertisement was released, many female athletes fought back, saying that Sweeney was sexualizing their livelihood. Without going into too much detail, Sweeney responded by posting photos from ESPN The Magazine’s “Body Issue.” This did not bode well, and for good reason.
In the world of sports, women are constantly fighting for respect. Whether that be on the field, the court, or behind the scenes, there is no reason that women should have to prove themselves again and again, just for the rug of respect to be ripped out from underneath them time and time again.
That being said, here are some of the best female athletes of this generation.
Simone Biles
Biles has been a household name in much of the United States for years. She started her gymnastics career at six and rose to fame at 16 after clinching two gold medals at the Antwerp Championship in 2013, including the all-around title. It was here that she introduced the world to The Biles, a double layout with a half-twist that changed the gymnastics world. In her professional career, Biles has amassed a total of 11 Olympic medals, including seven gold, and 30 world medals, of which 23 are gold.
Caitlin Clark
There is a reason that there is a thing known as the “Caitlin Clark Effect.” Clark is changing the game of women’s basketball, skyrocketing game attendance, ticket, and merchandise sales, and overall viewership. Not only is she transforming the game, she is revolutionizing the business side of women’s basketball as well. Nike made her a signature athlete and signed her to an eight-year 28 million contract that includes her own signature sneaker set to drop in a few weeks. From playing at the University of Iowa to being drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever, she is another name that all sports fans, regardless of gender, know and respect.
Alysa Liu
Since the 2026 Winter Olympics, American figure skater Alysa Liu has taken the social media and sports world by storm. At just 20 years old, the world champion left Italy with two gold medals, including a women’s singles title, which was the first won by an American in 24 years. While she now has these accomplishments under her belt, she has been an inspiration to many athletes for her return to figure skating. After the 2022 season, Liu faced major burnout from intense expectations and training. Liu returned to the sport with a new mindset and spoke openly about body image, burnout, and the pressure placed on young, talented athletes. Now, she skates for enjoyment, and her awards are just the cherry on top.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of other athletes that I could be writing about. Despite criticism they have faced in their respective sports and careers, they are reminders that women in sports do not need to rely on shock value or sexualization to earn attention. Instead, their talent, discipline, and impact speak loudly enough on their own.
The backlash against Sweeney and the Novig advertisement is not just about one actress or one brand. It is about the longstanding tension between how women are portrayed and how they deserve to be seen.