Memo to the media: please don’t use the term WAGs

 
Melanie Dinjaski Columnist

By , 23 Jun 2011 Melanie Dinjaski is a Roar Expert

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“WAGs” is the acronym and collective term for the wives and girlfriends of sportsmen. Sure, these women have an important role in the private lives of our most admired sportsmen. But is it really necessary for them to be showcased in the media under this sexist and offensive term?

Whether it was simply a case of lazy journalism – god knows how long it takes to type out ‘wives and girlfriends of sportsmen’ – or a deliberate attempt to insult and degrade these women, the media is now obsessed with the term “WAGs.”

Born out of the British tabloids during the 2006 FIFA World Cup it has quickly become a part of the sporting lexicon around the world. The women behind the biggest stars of Rugby League, Union, Aussie Rules, Cricket, Football, Motor Sports, whether they want it or not, get tagged as a “WAG.”

Not only does it demean women by subjecting the wives and girlfriends to public scrutiny based exclusively on looks, but the acronym not-so-subtly implies a link between women and dogs, happily wagging their tails at their owner’s (player’s) side.

The presentation of these women is almost always in a mocking fashion and encourages persisting stereotypes about females.

These “WAGs” are hardly ever recognised for anything but their sexual attributes, or other superficial qualities (fashion, hair, etc) with their personality, achievements, careers and ideas, completely ignored.

They are presented as trophies, and nothing more.

Despite the United Kingdom’s Equalities and Human Rights Commission officially criticizing the term as “offensive” it still consistently finds its way into major media content.

But not just in the UK.

Australian media outlets are just as quick to put “WAGs” in the headlines.

Ninemsn still names a “WAG of the Week”, the Courier Mail and Herald Sun have both made an image gallery of “Sports Sexiest WAGS”, Triple M frequently list the “World’s Hottest WAGs” on their website, and less surprisingly, but no less offensively, FHM, Zoo and other magazines of the same persuasion all contain regular features on “WAGs.”

On the web, I even found a site solely dedicated to comparing the appearance of “WAGs” from around the world.

The interest in the women behind famous and influential men is nothing new. But the way the sporting world have exploited it, is totally unacceptable. They’ve turned what used to be harmless curiosity of “the woman behind the man,” into total smut.

It’s difficult to escape, too. When navigating a sports website, on television, in a magazine, a newspaper, it’s there.

It carries on society’s need to categorise women in terms that men will never have imposed on them.

When I fill out an official form, I always have to indicate whether I am, “Miss, Mrs, or Ms,” while men, no matter what their marital history is, will always be “Mr.”

Many Australian sports are making a conscious effort to breach the onslaught of negative stereotyping imposed on the women associated with these professional male athletes.

On Tuesday night a tearful Petero Civoniceva was named the 2011 Women in League Favourite Son. He thanked his wife and his mother, for their sacrifices that led to his success in the rugby league.

Recently, Women’s Week in the AFL similarly tried to highlight the positive contribution of women to the sport.

However, I did cringe when a question sent out on the Gold Coast Suns Twitter account read,

“It’s Womens Week in the @AFL! We are celebrating the women of the AFL all week. Ladies we want to know why you love AFL?”

As if women would answer any differently to men on what they like about the sport! What answer did they expect?!

Airing soon on FOX8 will be a documentary into the lives of Australian “WAGs,” in a series called “WAG Nation.”

The show will feature Anthony Minichiello’s fiancé, shoe designer Terry Biviano, and Jude Bolton’s event planning wife Lynette, as well as a host of other partners of professional sportsmen.

From all reports it appears the show will be less about their bikini bodies and more about “the highs and lows of supporting a professional sporting career and the daily pressures of maintaining a successful relationship, to the stress of managing their own careers, not to mention the demands of a hectic social life.”

It sounds great.

But I still take issue with the inflammatory use of the term “WAG.” Maybe we’ve turned a corner, and now women are owning this offensive acronym?

Either way, the public are getting mixed messages when it comes to women and their role in professional male sport. Yes there are some fantastic programs happening, but the world-wide acceptance of “WAG” as a legitimate and respectable term for the partners of sportsmen, is not helping change attitudes towards women.

For as long as “WAGs” is used by major media outlets, there is still a long way to go before you can say women have been completely accepted and appreciated for their role in professional male sport.

You can follow Melanie Dinjaski on Twitter @MelanieDinjaski.
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