Ballet, figure skating and gymnastics are sports with some of the most vigorous physical and psychological training regimes and yet they’re often dismissed because the&nbsp;star&nbsp;athletes are young women in leotards with big smiles and sparkles, striving for perfection. What does our lack of respect for these athletes say about how our culture treats young women? To get some answers, I talk to award winning sports journalist, Joan Ryan, and American Ballet Theater principal dancer, Isabella Boylston. Have strong opinions? Let's hear 'em!Instagram: @popculturepirateTwitter: @popcultpirateHashtag: #SOLHpod #StrongOpinionsLooselyHeld <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Refinery 29's award-winning podcast is back for season 4! In this five-part capsule collection, host Elisa Kreisinger dives into the world of the professional female athlete to explore how they've survived and thrived in a sports-loving country that doesn't alway love them back. Did you know that the highest grossing sport for women is tennis?  Or that the US exports many of our best female athletes&nbsp;to China and Russia because they pay them a livable wage? This season we talk with soccer legend Abby Wambach, WNBA superstar Swin Cash, world renowned ballerina Isabella Boylston and sports journalists from around the country to unpack what it means to be a female athlete representing a country that doesn't support women.&nbsp; Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.