Intelligence Squared

The Betrayal of Female Bodies in Professional Sport

Mar 8, 2023

Lauren Fleshman, a former US 5000m champion and author, explores the need for equitable treatment in sports for women. She shares her experiences with the damaging impact of training young female athletes based on male physiological norms. The conversation highlights the financial struggles female athletes face, the importance of addressing body image, and the necessity for supportive environments that embrace female uniqueness. Fleshman advocates for systemic changes to improve the well-being of women in sports, both during their careers and after.

40:20

Episode guests

Lauren Fleshman

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

Reimagining Equity in Women's Sports

4min

Navigating Gender in Sports

8min

Unraveling Uniform Standards for Female Athletes

10min

Breaking Barriers: Feminism in Sports

12min

Empowering Change for Female Athletes Post-Retirement

3min

International Women's Week on Intelligence Squared. Equality is no longer enough, women need equity - that's the message of former US 5000m champion, Lauren Fleshman who joins us on this episode of the podcast to speak about the vital need for the world of sport to be reimagined for women. In conversation with host Sophie Penney, sports journalist for Reuters and The Athletic, Lauren looks back at her own career to examine the damaging mental and physical effects of young women being trained in line with the physiological development of a male body, the financial realities of being a professional female athlete, and what it means to be a successful athlete.

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