Bodies of the Nation: Gender, Nationalism, and Biopolitical Governance on Chinese Sports Magazine Covers

This study employs a biopolitical framework to analyze visual representations of 486 cover athletes in China’s Xin Tiyu [New Sports] and Tiyu Bolan [Sports Vision] magazines. Through systematic examination of body depictions, cross-gender interactions, and national symbols, this study suggests that persistent gender stereotypes intertwined with nationalistic imagery in Chinese sports media. The analysis exposes the underrepresentation of female athletes and their strategic deployment as national symbols to advance state objectives. Male athletes are predominantly portrayed through traditional masculine ideals, whereas female athletes’ bodies are commodified within nationalist discourse, reflecting broader biopolitical mechanisms that regulate gender identity in Chinese society. These findings illuminate how deeply embedded cultural ideologies shape visual narratives in sports media, revealing the intersection of gender representation and state power. The study contributes to understanding how sports media perpetuates gendered hierarchies while serving nationalist agendas in contemporary China.