Sidelined

Sports, Culture, and Being a Woman in America

By: Julie DiCaro

Narrated by: Julie DiCaro

Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

"Sidelined is the feminist sports book we've all been waiting for." (Jessica Valenti)

Shrill meets Brotopia in this personal and researched look at women's rights and issues through the lens of sports, from an award-winning sports journalist and women's advocate

In a society that is digging deep into the misogyny underlying our traditions and media, the world of sports is especially fertile ground. From casual sexism, like condescending coverage of women’s pro sports, to more serious issues, like athletes who abuse their partners and face only minimal consequences, this area of our culture is home to a vast swath of gender issues that apply to all of us - whether or not our work and leisure time revolve around what happens on the field.

No one is better equipped to examine sports through this feminist lens than sports journalist Julie DiCaro. Throughout her experiences covering professional sports for more than a decade, DiCaro has been outspoken about the exploitation of the female body, the covert and overt sexism women face in the workplace, and the male-driven toxicity in sports fandom. Now, through candid interviews, personal anecdotes, and deep research, she's tackling these thorny issues and exploring what America can do to give women a fair and competitive playing field in sports and beyond.

Covering everything from the abusive online environment at Barstool Sports to the sexist treatment of Serena Williams and professional women's teams fighting for equal pay and treatment, and looking back at pioneering women who first took on the patriarchy in sports media, Sidelined will illuminate the ways sports present a microcosm of life as a woman in America - and the power in fighting back.

©2021 Julie DiCaro (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"A writer, a lawyer, a columnist, a friend, Julie DiCaro has fearlessly taken on homophobia, racism and sexism in Sidelined, connecting with anyone who's been carelessly hurt or needlessly slandered. She's the teammate who makes everyone better." (Lesley Visser, Hall of Fame sportscaster)

“Sidelined is a remarkable window into what American sports culture - a powerful and enduring distillation of masculine power and privilege - tells us about the state of inequality in America. A must-read.” (Soraya Chemaly, author of Rage Becomes Her)

“Shame on the public and the press for treating sexism and misogyny in women's sports as a game. This book digs deep into why and how it happens and how it can be stopped.” (Soledad O’Brien)

Clarity and truth

Thank you for saying what needs to be said. I chose not to go into a male dominated profession after starting out studying one specifically because of the misogynist climate. I wake up every day and thank God I don’t have to go through as much sexism as DiCaro does at work, and thank God that voices like hers keep speaking up. The question to all men in sports media, and elsewhere, is what will you do about it?

Excellent read

As a fellow female in sports broadcasting I especially enjoyed hearing Julie read this book. It was almost like getting to hear her on the radio again.
It had great content, great points based on fact and great to get these conversations started. Definitely worth a read for all men and woman.

Eye-opening and vital

It’s simultaneously eye-opening and engaging; surprising and yet, not at all surprising. This should be required reading for any man who either wants to work in sports or even comment on sports on social media. It’s a toxic landscape, and DiCaro illustrates it in a way that can, at times, make you uncomfortable — and that is the point. What she and other women have seen and dealt with, you’d never want to. But maybe you come away from this making things a little better and helping the next generation both avoid the same mistakes and elevate qualified women in the field.

Compelling listen

A well-written and well-read audiobook. Great insight into the difficulties faced by women in sports.media and society.

The Book For All People (especially men)

Julie pulls no punches hits a grand slam in this amazing look at the constant uphill struggle faced by women in the world of sports.

Get Fired Up

It's nothing that I didn't know, but man did it fire me up. in my friend group I'm know as the women's sports fanatic.

Validating. Empowering. Revealing.

Julie DiCaro wrote a smart, brave, and uplifting book because she is smart, brave, and uplifting. She validates thoughts, feelings, and experiences by putting them in a broader context. She provides us with a revealing resource to equip ourselves with knowledge to fight for gender equity and racial justice in sport. Last but the furthest from least, DiCaro suggests real and applicable ways we can empower one another as woman, especially as women in male-dominated fields like sport. What a badass.