How have female athletes been gendered in newspapers?
A　case study: change in identity from Miss Noriko Sugawara to Mrs.Noriko Narazaki

Takako Iida
（Tezukayama　Gakuin　University）

Abstract

　　 The aim of this paper is to show the process of constructing the image of gendered women through a critical analysis of newspaper articles on a female Judo athlete, Noriko Narazaki, who participated in the Atlanta Olympics, the World Judo Championships, and the Sydney Olympics.
　　 The results of this study are summarized as follows:
　1) The newspaper articles studied described Narazaki as always being encouraged in her athletic achievements by a certain man. This person was her father when she was single. Since her marriage this person has been her husband.
　2) After her marriage, titles such as "Mrs." and "Housewife (Shufu)" were often attached to Narazaki's name in newspaper headlines. This use of gender terms implied that Narazaki was heterosexist.
　3) By this use of gender terminology,it became clear that a new gender role assignment,i.e.,that"women have responsibility both for their careers and domestic work" has been constructed by these newspaper articles. In them Narazaki was expected to play a mother's and wife's role as well as achieve significantly in sports.
　4) These articles, which downplayed or trivialized women's athletic achievements, were written by male reporters. Through these articles an image of female athletes who had no objection to patriarchy has been constructed.
　5) In contrast, women reporters described female athletes as self-reliant, independent women.

Key words : Media, Gender, Heterosexism, Female Athleteｓ, Olympic

Journal of Sport and Gender Studies, 1: 4-14, 2003.