This research examines the phenomenon of sexist naming of women's athletic teams at four-year colleges and universities in the southern United States. Drawing on theoretical and methodological insights from feminist scholarship on gender and sports, gendered language, and intersecting systems of race and gender inequalities, the author analyzes (1) the forms of and the extent to which sexist names are used, (2) the typical characteristics of schools that use sexist names, and (3) the relationship between sexist naming and the uneven distribution of athletic opportunities among female and male students. The findings demonstrate that sexist team names are the norm at southern schools and that the use of sexist names is negatively associated with equitable athletic opportunities for women students. They reveal that sexist naming and the overall gender equity climate of athletics departments are related to the persistence of gender inequities in collegiate athletics.
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