watching them, and if it is hard to spend time away when playing, why their bodies have changed, or what they are doing to look so fit. While male professional athletes who are fathers are rarely questioned about their children at all, and comments about a male athlete's body is usually not the main topic of conversation at a press conference. But the idea that women athletes can not stray from the path society has laid out for them does not stop with just the questions and comments about motherhood, and waist sizes. Recently, a wave of prominent female college basketball and WNBA athletes has sparked a new era of interest in women's basketball worldwide. Names like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink have made large strides in carving a path for the demand of women's basketball coverage. But with that comes scrutiny that rising star male athletes don’t often deal with. In a Forbes article written by Lindsey Darvin about the double standards male and female athletes face in the media the term “double blind” is continuously used to describe the struggles female athletes face, “This double bind phenomenon aligns closely with role congruity theory, which suggests that societal expectations often dictate that women should exhibit qualities traditionally associated with femininity, such as nurturing and empathy, rather than those typically associated with athletic prowess, such as strength and assertiveness. As a result, when women athletes demonstrate characteristics that deviate from these gender norms, they often face backlash or criticism” (Forbes, Darvin). This theory shows that no matter how female athletes act on the court, they will be scrutinized solely because of their gender. As mentioned earlier, both Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have dominant and aggressive styles of play, they are the kinds of players who, in the NBA, would be praised for passion, dedication, and sheer power. However for Clark and Reese, the media does not see it this way. 

For example, LeBron James is a household name around the world and is well-known for his tendency to talk to referees throughout his time playing the game. James is rarely scrutinized for this behavior but rather praised for being such a well-respected communicator. Caitlin Clark has only been in the professional world for one year, but she has also made a name for herself when it comes to communicating with referees during games. Communicating isn’t the word used to describe what Clark does, but rather, talking back, disrespecting, or complaining. Two Fox News and Sports articles written within two years of each other were published about Lebron James and Caitlin Clark complaining to refs, yet the words and emotions they draw are vastly different. A Fox Sports article written about James in 2022 and his tendency to complain to refs was titled, The Art of NBA complaining, how players like Lebron deal with refs, while a 2024 article written about Caitlin Clark’s complaints and posted on the Fox News website rather than the sports website was titled, Caitlin Clark slams refs foul pushing her to brink of suspension; coach says she 'needs to move on'. While the articles speak about two players performing the same way, the wording used paints a completely different picture. These are the grievances that female athletes have faced for years. While WNBA viewership this season was the highest it’s been in 24 years, the media continues to stumble in its accurate representation of the work WNBA athletes are doing to put their names on the map. Without accurate representation, these athletes will have to continue working harder than their male counterparts, and because of this, the media has to do better.