Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man's World

In the case of natural female development (which can sometimes be delayed or impeded through intense training), female athletes can expect to experience a performance dip in terms of their athletic ability and results. This is a result of gained fat and hormonal changes. Many female athletes may experience immense distress at this dip, which Fleshman argues isn’t adequately understood or talked about, leading female athletes to blame themselves and their coaches to blame the athletes. Fleshman argues that this is part of a male culture in sport, which prioritizes leanness and demands linear progression, leading many female athletes to injuries and disordered eating.

A professional athlete is an athlete who makes a professional career out of competing at the highest level of their sport. In American distance running, professional athletes make a living through deals with sponsors, namely brands that produce athletic apparel. Fleshman criticizes the fact that those able to make a living as female professional athletes are not necessarily the best in their fields but instead those who are white, thin, and sexually marketable. Through her work with Oiselle, Fleshman hopes to widen the market for female athlete sponsorship, making it more inclusive for BIPOC athletes, athletes with disabilities, LGBTQ athletes, and athletes who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) occurs when athletes are not meeting the nutritional requirements of their body for the amount of energy expended. RED-S can affect any athlete but is especially common among female athletes in sports, which demand strenuous training and a lean physique in order to be competitive. RED-S results in a long-term caloric deficit within the body, which can lead to decreased performance gains in training and competition, as well as fatigue, burnout, and injuries.