What If Male Sports Stars Were Asked The Same Questions As Female Athletes?

What If Male Sports Stars Were Asked The Same Questions As Female Athletes?

"Can you give us a twirl?"

"Tell us about your outfit."

"Any response to recent comments about your 'girlish' figure?"

While male sports stars are asked about their training regimes and performances in competitions, female athletes face questions about their appearance in interviews far too often.

The above video by 'Cover The Athlete', an online campaign exploring sexism in sport, explores what would happen if the tables were turned.

"Something's wrong with media coverage of female athletes," Cover The Athlete's YouTube page reads.

"Sexist commentary, inappropriate interview questions, and articles commenting on physical appearance not only trivialises a woman’s accomplishments, but also sends a message that a woman’s value is based on her looks, not her ability. And it’s much too commonplace.

"It’s time to demand media coverage that focuses on the athlete and her performance, not her hair, clothes or body."

It's worth clearing up that the male athletes weren't actually asked these questions (heavens forbid) instead, the video is the product of clever editing.

The video takes responses from past interviews and pairs them with a question that would typically be asked of a female. The result goes to show just how ridiculous the media coverage of women in sport is.

Unfortunately it's not just female athletes that are subjected to questions their male counterparts would never be asked.

Earlier this year the #AskHerMore campaign called for reporters to ask actresses on the red carpet about more than their outfits.

And recently, HuffPost UK asked celebrities Robert Peston, Ben Fogle And David Baddiel questions women are typically asked in interviews - such as how long they take to get ready in the morning and how they balance a career and childcare - in order to highlight the differences.

Inspirational Women In Sport 2015
Lisa Mason, Gymnast(01 of10)
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When Olympic gymnast Lisa Mason announced at 31 that she was planning to make a comeback after a 13-year break, nobody took her seriously. So, with no moral or financial support, the single mum set out to prove the world wrong. In the 2013 English Championships, her first comeback competition, Mason won gold in the vault and came fourth in the finals at the National British Championships after just five months of training. She is now training for Rio 2016. (credit:Alex Livesey via Getty Images)
Nicola Adams, Boxer(02 of10)
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Nicola Adams became the first British boxer to win an Olympic gold medal, at London 2012. The Olympic, European and Commonwealth champion has since become a role model to a nation of budding female boxers and has been justly garnered with an MBE. Adams is also seen as an inspiration in the LGBT community, and topped the Independent’s Pink List, which celebrates Britain’s most influential LGBT figures. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Clare Balding, Sports TV Presenter & Campaigner(03 of10)
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Clare Balding OBE was elevated from respected TV sports presenter to national treasure following her incredible coverage of London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics – and garnered a BAFTA Special Award. But Balding’s most inspirational role is that of tireless campaigner for women's sport - from gender equality and media coverage to inspiring young women to embrace sport. (credit:Jon Furniss/Invision/AP)
Jo Pavey, Athlete(04 of10)
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In 2014 (a month before her 41st birthday and just eight months after giving birth to her second child), Jo Pavey MBE won her first major championship gold, for the 10,000m at the European Championships in Zurich. As the oldest female European champion, Jo ‘Supermum’ Pavey has proved that motherhood does not make a woman less valuable – and that life really does begin at 40! Look out for Pavey at the 2016 Olympics. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Rimla Akhtar, FA Council Board Member(05 of10)
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Rimla Akhtar is the first Muslim woman - one of only six women in total - to sit on the 121-strong FA Council. Chair of the Muslim Women’s Sports Foundation, Akhtar advised Olympic organisers on female representation at London 2012. The Liverpool FC fan who plays and coaches, has been involved in numerous campaigns to make football more inclusive, including a successful campaign to get FIFA to allow women to play football, wearing hijabs. (credit:Scott Heavey via Getty Images)
Jessica Ennis-Hill, Athlete(06 of10)
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The poster girl of the 2012 Olympics, Jessica Ennis-Hill inspired a nation of young, aspiring female athletes to follow their dreams. In 2014, the Olympic heptathlon champion and British record-holder gave birth to her first child, Reggie. Months later she qualified for the 2016 Olympics. In 2014, the star bravely spoke out when her local football club, Sheffield United, was considering re-hiring convicted rapist Ched Evans on his release from prison. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Christine Ohuruogu, Athlete (07 of10)
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Christine Ohuruogu MBE is one of Great Britain’s most successful athletes of all time having won 400m Olympic gold and silver, and two individual world titles. After 2012, Ohuruogu, who also has a degree in Linguistics from prestigious London university UCL, set herself the task of visiting every school in her London borough to inspire a new generation of athletes. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Martine Wright, Paralympian(08 of10)
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Martine Wright is living proof that anything really is possible. After losing both her legs while on the Underground during the July 7 London bombings, the determined survivor began training as a sitting volleyball player and went on to be selected for the London 2012 British Paralympics team. Her positivity and unparalleled strength of character make her the ideal ambassador for disabled sport. (credit:Matthew Lloyd via Getty Images)
Fran Kirby, Footballer(09 of10)
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The shining star of the 2015 Women’s World Cup, Fran Kirby’s meteoric rise has not been without its obstacles. Just three years ago, the 22-year-old Reading striker walked out of an England under-19 camp and announced she was quitting the game after being struck with a debilitating bout of depression – a delayed reaction to the sudden death of her mother when she was 14. Her remarkable comeback is testament to her courage and resilience. (credit:Clive Rose - FIFA via Getty Images)
Debbie Jevans, CEO, England Ruby 2015(10 of10)
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Former professional tennis player Jevans is the first female chief executive to organise a Rugby World Cup, and the first woman to be appointed director of sport for an Olympic Games when she led the double victory of an Olympic and Paralympic Games at London 2012. One of the few women sitting at the top table in sport, she is an ardent campaigner against gender imbalance in sport. (credit:Patrick Bolger via Getty Images)