The construction of female athletes’ media images reflects the changes in feminist concepts in society and is related to the development of women’s sports. This article selects four Generation Z Chinese female athletes—Zheng Qinwen, Han Xu, Zhang Yufei, and Wu Yanni—as research subjects, using text analysis and comparative analysis methods to analyze 234 Weibo posts and 200 news reports. From the perspectives of self-shaping and other shaping, the characteristics of their media image construction are interpreted to provide strategic references for constructing media images of female athletes in China in the new era. The study finds that the four female athletes showcase the beauty of female strength in a multidimensional way based on their characteristics in self-shaping, highlighting individuality. In other shaping, the media constructs a heroic image, emphasizing the power of role models. Under the influence of commercialization, athletes engage in commercial activities for profit beyond charity work, but the objectification of female athletes still exists.

Bingzheng Zhang. Image Construction of Generation Z Chinese Female Athletes from the Perspectives of Self-shaping and Other Shaping. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2024) Vol. 7, Issue 9: 153-158. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJHSS.2024.070925.

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