OPINION: More than a body: Challenging the dehumanization of Black women in sports

“If something walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and fights like a duck, it’s probably a duck,” Piers Morgan wrote for the New York Post, blatantly dehumanizing Imane Khelif upon the leak of her medical records detailing her chromosomal makeup on Nov. 4, 2024. Khelif, an Algerian boxer who won a gold in the 66kg Women’s boxing event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has been embroiled in scandal and faced discrimination over her eligibility to compete in the women’s division of boxing competitions since 2023. 

While the New York Post is known for sensationalist journalism and conservative bias, a wide variety of sources have perpetuated the narrative against Khelif. Instead of public outrage at the leaking of sensitive medical information and the way she is being demonized, the media agreed with Morgan’s representation of Khelif and perpetuated a practice that has become all too frequent: the scrutiny of successful Black female athletes’ biology (think Serena Williams and Caster Semenya, among others). Public hyperfixation on the physical characteristics contributing to athletic success disproportionately affects Black women, explaining their success as an anomaly rather than a product of talent or hard work. 

Khelif’s treatment throughout her career reflects the history of Black people being dehumanized to justify racism, like the widely documented Black-ape association. This demonstrates how race has long been weaponized to rationalize injustice. In media coverage, Black individuals have been depicted using animalistic imagery that reinforces harmful stereotypes. In a 2014 study, Black defendants were found to be more frequently depicted as ape-like than white defendants in media of and relating to criminal proceedings, which correlated with harsher sentencing and increased likelihood of state-sponsored violence. 

The historical pattern of dehumanization is evident in Khelif’s treatment, as media coverage today utilizes animalistic comparisons, highlighting how race and gender biases persist in undermining Black women’s achievements in sports. Khelif’s experience is broader than a matter of her eligibility to participate. The scrutiny she faces results from systematic devaluation of her humanity, in which media and sports institutions collectively reduce her to physical attributes, rather than celebrating her achievements or even recognizing her as a legitimate contestant. While opponents of Khelif argue that they are advocating for the integrity of women’s sports, it is not simply an issue of sports policy at play — it is a form of racialized dehumanization that robs Khelif and other Black female athletes of their humanity and right to play. 

The continuous scrutiny, invasive media coverage and obsession with physical characteristics of Black female athletes reinforces negative stereotypes, and creates barriers to their participation and performance. When one fears confirming a negative stereotype about their own group, this feeling can cause them to perform poorly in the skill associated with the stereotype. This phenomenon, called “stereotype threat” doesn’t just affect performance; it also impacts self-esteem, identification with the stereotyped domain and long-term aspirations. People facing stereotype threat might distance themselves from fields where they feel marginalized, which can perpetuate underrepresentation in certain areas.

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The critique of Khelif embodies the intersection of dehumanization and stereotype threat, two forces that uniquely impact Black women in sports. The focus on Khelif’s chromosomal makeup and physique parallels historic animalistic associations that diminish Black women, and label them as different to justify their marginalization. Stereotype threat has forced Khelif to take on the psychological burden of defending her femininity in an environment that is more interested in her physique and eligibility than her skill. 

We must hold media and sports institutions accountable for their portrayals of Black female athletes, demanding that they shift from reductive narratives to ones that celebrate their achievements and acknowledge them as legitimate participants. As fans, advocates and fellow athletes, we can create a culture that honors inclusivity and pushes for representation that acknowledges the skill, resilience, and identity of all female athletes beyond their physical traits.

Ultimately, Imane Khelif’s story is a reminder that we must critically assess how sports culture treats Black women. The success of Black female athletes must be recognized rather than argued against. If we continue to accept the dehumanization and psychological burden that athletes like Khelif face, we will continue to perpetuate an exclusionary, biased and harmful system. 

Khelif’s story serves as a rallying point for reconsidering how we treat our Black female athletes, reminding us that true sportsmanship honors humanity as much as skill.

Naomi Locala PO ’25 is a psychological science major from San Francisco, California. She hopes everyone has a restful break and thinks critically about the media’s portrayal of Black female athletes.

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