The ‘Press’ in Pressure
Order Up
throughout lockdown Mark and I have been ordering groceries online. This week our delivery person left the wrong bags at our door.
Seeing someone else’s groceries is oddly intimate. I felt myself judging their salsa choices and assuming personal details. Our mystery shopper is vegetarian with a pension for pre-packaged baked goods. They are also the only person on the planet still buying YOP….
In the same way fame gives us a window into people's lives. We feel connected to celebrities because we have a glimpse of how they spend their time, no matter how curated the content or reporting is.
With that exposure comes pressure to present yourself well. The more we can see, the more we can judge. Had I known that someone else would be getting my groceries, for instance, I probably wouldn't have tacked on "smooth moves" laxative tea and goldfish crackers....
Serve It To Me Straight
Celebrity athletes are in a league of their own. Watching someone compete endears you to their authenticity, so much so that the language we use around them transcends fame. The best athletes are sports heroes.
Name one acting 'hero'.
Athletes are seen as embodiments of good values: work ethic, perseverance, strength. Their qualities are both inspiring, and easy to commodify. We want our sports stars to weigh on what athletic wear will make us faster, what snacks will keep us fit, and whatever product will help us achieve our goals.
Often we forget that these athletes are young. Many are child stars in their own right, and generally their fame is fleeting. Most professional athletes don’t have job security or career longevity. For them everything is high pressure and high stakes.
It’s bound to wreak havoc on your mental health.
This week the internet has been ablaze with commentary over Naomi Osaka’s decision to withdraw from the French Open. The 23-year-old tennis star is the highest paid female athlete in the world, and she decided to take a break due to her depression and anxiety. She posted on instagram about her struggles, stating that talking to the media after matches is too much for her mental health.
At first, Osaka tried to simply ditch the post-match press conferences. The French Open, however, was having none of it. They fined her $15,000 for not talking to the media and sternly reminded her of competition requirements. They even posted a tweet with photos of other players at press conferences that read "They understood the assignment.”
#sickburn
While a bit harsh, the French Open has a point. Part of competing is media appearances. Tennis makes money and draws eyeballs by allowing access to player interviews. If journalists have nothing to report on, covering tennis becomes less enticing.
Heroes can only become heroes when they show their faces.
Osaka is one of the best players in the world. Her leaving the competition isn't great for optics, but giving her an exception would be tricky business. The French Open also didn’t try particularly hard to find a solution, so Osaka decided to remove herself entirely. Part of her statement reads:
I was already feeling vulnerable and anxious so I thought it was better to exercise self-care and skip the press conferences. I announced it pre-emptively because I do feel like the rules are quite outdated in parts and I wanted to highlight that. I wrote privately to the tournament apologizing and saying that I would be more than happy to speak with them after the tournament as the Slams are intense. I'm gonna take some time away from the court now, but when the time is right I really want to work with the Tour to discuss ways we can make things better for the players, press and fans.
Many fans, celebrities, and companies have come out in support of Osaka. The message is clear: mental health matters. Especially after the year we've had, everyone wants to lend a sympathetic ear to a struggling star.
Now the tennis world has decisions to make - do we lose a generational icon because she won’t conform, or do we adjust the system? What level of press can we demand that is both humane, and won't hurt our bottom line?
For now media interaction is part of the job. Being ready to play is more than just being physically capable. I see her depression and anxiety as a kind of injury. We shouldn’t bat an eye when players need time to get their mental game right. It's just like how we expect athletes to look after torn ligaments and broken bones.
Naturally there are segments of people who think Osaka is crying for attention, or that her earnings preclude her from having any legitimate mental health challenges. Whether you agree that press should be part of the professional athlete role or not doesn't change the fact that this young player is struggling.
Famous women (like Meghan Markle) are allowed to need help without it being attention-seeking. Athletes are allowed to ask for more without it being greedy.
The body positivity icon I needed
Let Them Eat Cake
I frequently write about how the media treats famous women unfairly. Sports is no different, except it comes with the added expectation of body commentary.
I can’t think of many other professions where your height and weight is listed beside your name.
Recently a WNBA player’s weight was made fun of by the coach of an opposing team. Connecticut Suns coach, Curt Miller, referred to Ace’s player Liz Cambage as 300 pounds while complaining to the ref about a call. Cambage went to her instagram story, and, like the icon she is, blessed us with this quote:
I'm weighing 235 pounds and I'm very proud of being a big bitch, big body, big Benz, baby. So don't ever try to disrespect me or another woman in the league.
The WNBA suspended Miller, fined him $10,000, and he has since issued an apology. The fine is steep, especially considering that the average WNBA player salary is only around $120,000. Then again WNBA coach salaries are not public....
Pay is an issue in its own right, but we can't discredit the severity of body shaming sports. Almost 50% of women in "leanness sports" - like ballet or running - have clinical eating disorders. That statistic sits around 20% for female athletes in other sports.
Mary Cain, for example, was the “fastest girl in the world” at age 17. She was the youngest athlete to make the World Championships team, and was the next shining star in track and field. Back in 2013 she signed a deal with Nike to become part of their elite Oregon Project team, but, instead of being catapulted into running fame, Cain faded away into obscurity. She left the team and came out against Nike in 2019.
While training with the Oregon team, the main focus became on Cain's weight. The mindset being 'the heavier you are, the slower you are.' She became so thin that she lost her period for 3 years, starting breaking bones, and was contemplating suicide. The choice to leave the team ultimately became a critical decision for her health, and the New York Times reports that staying could have lead to osteoporosis or infertility.
Other female athletes have come out about similar treatment. Skater Gracie Gold, for example, has shared stories about the same kind of fixation on her weight. While many blame the coaches, I see this as a much more scientific and systemic problem. The Times lays it out plainly:
A big part of this problem is that women and girls are being forced to meet athletic standards that are based on how men and boys develop. If you try to make a girl fit a boy’s development timeline, her body is at risk of breaking down.
Studies into pregnancy, puberty, menopause, and menstruation among athletes have only begun within the last few years. I guess if you forget that women can play sports, it's easy to forget to research them in the same way... All of this to say that we can't have the best interest of female athletes in mind if we don't know what their bodies need.
Female athletes are, unfortunately, playing games created, monitored, and assessed by men.
By extension, the way we talk about athletes is important. Just because they work with their bodies, does not mean they're immune to criticisms on their height, weight, or muscle tone. Press coverage of cellulite and postpartum body changes are as damaging as they are gross.
Comments coming from a coach are especially cruel since players aren't able to talk back. That said I'd love to see Curt Miller try his luck with Cambage off the court. A 6'8 woman who can dunk is the last person I'd want to offend, and he's lucky he walked away with just a fine....
Room For Dessert?
When we see a sliver of someone's life, we tend to fill in the rest with our imagination. The person who buys YOP must have bad taste, that successful person has no trauma, that skinny woman has no insecurities....
In fame that sliver becomes a full slice of pie. You’re expected to share more, care more, and be constantly available. Why wouldn’t you speak out about ALL of the issues? Why can’t you talk about your mental health? Why can’t we comment on your weight?
Athletes are not gladiators for us to tear apart. They are people with their own struggles, insecurities and weird groceries.
They are also abundantly talented. Is it ever enough to just watch them play? Are you not entertained?
