'Game Face: What Does a Female Athlete Look Like?'

In the inaugural women's weightlifting competition at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Cheryl Haworth won a bronze medal in the 75+ kilo weight class. © Mary Ellen Mark, 2000

Listen to the story as heard on Weekend All Things Considered.

Listen to a walking tour of the exhibit


Enter the Photo Gallery

July 7, 2001 -- When President Nixon signed the Federal Education Amendments into law on June 23, 1972, he enacted a provision which required all educational programs receiving federal funding to provide equal opportunities to both sexes. One of the effects of "Title IX" was an increase in access to athletics for girls and women.

But while women's participation in sports grew over the years, journalist Jane Gottesman noticed that images of women athletes in major newspapers remained almost invisible. So Gottesman and her editor Geoffrey Biddle compiled more than 180 photographs of women swimming, running, lifting, hitting, dancing, jumping and sweating. Their book is called, Game Face: What Does a Female Athlete Look Like?

An exhibit of many of these pictures is at the Smithsonian's Arts and Industries Museum through January 2, 2002.