Self-representaton of Spanish women athletes on Instagram: Case studies

Abstract

Social networks are becoming increasingly important in our society and Spanish women athletes are present in them. The current literature shows the growing interest of the scientific field in the logics of networks and the representation of sportswomen, although very limited in the case of our county. Therefore, the aim of this article was to analyze the self-representation of three known Spanish women athletes from different sports. For this purpose, a content analysis of their publications on Instagram, was carried out between February 2020 and February 2021. The findings have shown that each sportswoman has a different style of representation, while there are also points in common. The images receiving the most likes in each case did not follow any pattern but in two cases the centrality of the body was clear. It was concluded, after analysis and discussion, that all three maintain a socially accepted image of femininity, in which in each case there are elements, including advertising, that contribute to this heteronormative ideal, typical of an androcentric society. In addition, only in one case was an alternative self-representation to the traditional one detected in the media. Further study of the relationship between social networks and sport is a theme of future work with great potential, as more and more athletes, fans and the media are making use of them.