Gaze vs. grit: why Sydney Sweeney's ad misses decades of women's sport progress

An opinion piece argues Sydney Sweeney’s promotional ad for a sports betting app sexualizes female athletes and ignores decades of progress in women’s sport, contrasting it with sustained gains driven by athletic excellence (better facilities, equal pay, rising revenues). The author links the backlash to the ongoing shift in how women in sport are perceived and reminds readers that progress comes from athletes’ performance, not objectification. The piece also references the 2014 Always “Like A Girl” campaign and calls for accountability from advertisers and public figures while reflecting on how being a ‘sporty girl’ has evolved.