Motherhood and Sexuality in Women’s Football News: Effects on Interest in the Article, Engagement, and Perception of the Player

Women’s football has gained popularity and appreciation in the last few years. At the same time, sexual diversity and maternity in sport have become part of the global conversation. To investigate the influence of players’ motherhood and sexuality in the context of news, a 2 (sexuality) × 2 (motherhood status) between-subjects online experiment ( N = 395) was conducted. The research examined the impact on interest in the news article, women’s football engagement, perception of the footballer (i.e., expected performance, impression, and perceived commitment), and attitudes toward lesbian athletes. Results show that featuring the footballer as a mother increased interest in the article. However, the maternity status had a negative impact only on the perception of the lesbian footballer, who was expected to show lower performance compared with her counterparts. These findings may help journalists and community managers to understand the impact and the ethical implications of their work.