`Inside Sport' or `On the Margins'?

This article analyses the contradictory constructions of gender relations in the popular Australian sport magazine Inside Sport. The investigation shows that, while overt sexual exploitation of women is still present, particularly in the pictorial content, more complex marginalizing practices are also in evidence. Furthermore, it will be argued that the juxtaposition of critical text and exploitative graphics is organized to convey a sense of `balanced' coverage and representation. The magazine's formula of men's sports/women's bodies reflects, constructs and perpetuates beliefs about hegemonic masculinity and emphasized femininity in Australian society.