Cycling-Today, continuing the sexploitation

[josephr]

I'm not going to post a link to Cycling-Today's article about Top 10 Sexiest Women in Cycling simply b/c I don't think they deserve the time of day.

As a father and cyclist....don't really need 'sexy' photos...I admire an athlete's accomplishments on a bike far more than her ability to show skin.

short rant over...

[krhea]

If you really feel that way about it why call attention to it by mentioning the article? "You" just got the article more views, exactly what you're saying it doesn't need.
I'd never heard of "Cycling-Today" until seeing your post, so I visited the site, thanks I guess.
I to am a father of a daughter and a husband.

[josephr]

If you really feel that way about it why call attention to it by mentioning the article?

point taken -- but had to call them out someway, I guess...one of those things -- you don't want to click on it because you know 'hits=advertising dollars" but can't really call them out without referencing them...wish there was a way negative hits could take back advertising dollars, but unfortunately, the internet doesn't work that way.

[MattTuck]

from cyclingnews

http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com/2013/10/30/1/september_pippo_670.jpg

we live in a click bait world. sex sells.

[witcombusa]

So you have a problem with attractive, accomplished female cyclists having their pictures taken. Were they being forced to comply?

Avert your eyes if this troubles you...

[Cicli]

My beautiful and fit wife hates all that womens equal rights stuff.
I am not sexist al all but she likes to look good, stay at home mom, go to the gym every day and hit the pool with the kids. All while looking good.
Whats the problem?

[mg2ride]

I'm not going to post a link to Cycling-Today's article about Top 10 Sexiest Women in Cycling simply b/c I don't think they deserve the time of day.

As a father and cyclist....don't really need 'sexy' photos...I admire an athlete's accomplishments on a bike far more than her ability to show skin.

short rant over...

For those of whose who don't think it is exploration

http://cycling-today.com/top-10-sexiest-female-pro-cyclists/

These broads are pretty hot!

[ultraman6970]

Yes indeed :D

[kramnnim]

Seems out of date, and/or they forgot PFP.

https://www.instagram.com/paulineferrandprevot/

[El Chaba]

My beautiful and fit wife hates all that womens equal rights stuff.
I am not sexist al all but she likes to look good, stay at home mom, go to the gym every day and hit the pool with the kids. All while looking good.
Whats the problem?

I applaud her...and as my wife says, "Why would I want to step down to being equal?"....

[oldpotatoe]

point taken -- but had to call them out someway, I guess...one of those things -- you don't want to click on it because you know 'hits=advertising dollars" but can't really call them out without referencing them...wish there was a way negative hits could take back advertising dollars, but unfortunately, the internet doesn't work that way.

-Contact them and complain

-If it upsets you, don't look at it

-their 'ability' to show skin, as in their choice, not yours.

-Reality...women often wear highly revealing clothing, including lots of 'cleaveage', do you ask them to please cover up when you see them?

-Don't buy what the site adverts

-It's reality..IMHO, there are far more 'ugly' things to worry about 'these days' than this..again, IMHO

[fuzzalow]

This kinda stuff is not for me to approve or disapprove based mainly on the fact that the audience that this is aimed at and goes for this kind of thing doesn't view and think like I do anyway. It is what it is.

I think that this kind of sexploitation, at the margin, is bad but not remotely causative and contributory as a primary driver to the dispossession and disaffection of lower class males. There's a lot of garbage out there and they are only looking for any ways and means to have anyone else as worse off than them. Stupid deserves everything it can't get but they'll find their own level where they can convince themselves that they are not. The pathos is that males at that rung are gawking at women completely out of their league.

As far as these "women athletes" they are not selling their brains as their value and self worth. So as "athlete"s they will put forth what they have for the limited time they can get it and are noteworthy. I don't like that they do it but it isn't easy to make a living and I'll forgive that they think that they did what they had to do. They likely didn't make big bucks doin' this so they probably still went for cheap. It's not a perfect world.

I am an optimist. Things for women in the professional world are changing for the better. Things for women in general are changing for the better, albeit more slowly because there is less value to a woman's brains over a woman's appearance with the hoi polloi.

[ptourkin]

My beautiful and fit wife hates all that womens equal rights stuff.
I am not sexist al all but she likes to look good, stay at home mom, go to the gym every day and hit the pool with the kids. All while looking good.
Whats the problem?

LOL. Trolling right?

[idrinkwater]

If you didn't have a problem with the assos girl, then you won't have a problem with this.

[malcolm]

My beautiful and fit wife hates all that womens equal rights stuff.
I am not sexist al all but she likes to look good, stay at home mom, go to the gym every day and hit the pool with the kids. All while looking good.
Whats the problem?

First off kudos to your wife for being comfortable with who she is!

I also think you are putting words in your wife's mouth by stating that she hates all that women's equal rights stuff. I suspect she doesn't like militant attitudes and over the top displays that actually wind up doing more harm than good, but I suspect your wife is all for equal treatment, rights and pay.

The problem is that sexism is everywhere it's ingrained in us from birth. It starts with blue for boys and pink for girls and exists all the way up to corporate pay. It's real and we can deny it all we want but it doesn't make it go away. I won't argue which -ism is worse cause as we all know there are many.

Back to the OP. I think healthy athletic bodies are attractive and nothing to be ashamed of. The problem for me is when it's women, even in non sales media they tend to be sexualized vs men when it's more admiration of the human form. I like the sports illustrated edition they do yearly where they have nude or nearly nude athletes in non sexual poses.
The nude body has such negative baggage attached in our society and I think that is sad. We were at dinner with a couple other families a year or so ago and were looking at the magazine previously mentioned and one family, quite religious was clearly offended. All the kids were high school and above. It never crossed my mind that educated adults would be offended by that content.

[idrinkwater]

Even if we could all agree that the article itself is not exploitative (which I wouldn't) I think it's very telling of cycling's relationship to women that the ONLY women on the front page of that website are either in a bikini or showing cleavage. Let's call a spade a spade and say that women are poorly represented in cycling media. Clearly, all the women in those photos consented. Clearly, all us men agree that they're beautiful. Let's also realize that the only way for a woman to get onto that website (at least today), is for her to be in a state of undress. Cycling (the media, riders, us forum users) needs to do something about how it views women.

[verticaldoug]

Pretty funny a bunch of guys discussing what women may or may not think. Pretty confident this is only about what guys are thinking and want to believe women are thinking.

There is a double standard. I know a young woman who is a world class runner. Even as a teenager, people would discuss less about her sporting accomplishments, and usually end up talking about her looks.

It is really quite sad.

I understand someone like Lyndsey Vonn making a decision as a professional to try to increase her income and marketability, but it has extremely negative trickle down effects on women athletes. That is the big picture.

[paredown]

I'm with the OP--it not that these are photos of cute girl athletes who happen to be in the drops or whatever and showing a little cleavage--these are soft core porn poses of young women athletes.

No sense of humor, no shots of them performing their events--nothing except exploitation.:mad:

[cderalow]

well... you have to look at it this way.

two things help sell products:

sex and entertainment

let's be honest, while i love cycling, and watching the occasional race on TV, it's not overly entertaining.

so in lieu of having a high entertainment value, they need something to sell their product.

[Stephen2014]

I hate the idea that cyclists should be some kind of bland apartheided off subhumans who can't be proud of looking good. And if it was top hot male cyclists - fine by me.

[unterhausen]

Cycling Today is a big source of forum spam, so I'd rather not see their links anyway

[lovethesport]

For those of whose who don't think it is exploration

http://cycling-today.com/top-10-sexiest-female-pro-cyclists/

These broads are pretty hot!

Now your talkin'!! Still one of the best was Paula Pezzo( maybe since
I saw her in person)!

[Dead Man]

point taken -- but had to call them out someway, I guess...one of those things -- you don't want to click on it because you know 'hits=advertising dollars" but can't really call them out without referencing them...wish there was a way negative hits could take back advertising dollars, but unfortunately, the internet doesn't work that way.

How are you calling them out? I think all you're doing is hoping to find some company in your irritation. "Look at this, it bugs me. Doesn't it bug you too?"

Everyone wants to feel like their values are worthwhile, so I'm not really holding it against you.. but be honest about what it is. You're not "calling them out," - they aren't facing any negative press now, are they? They aren't having to change anything, answer to anyone, nor do they even know you exist.

That out of the way, here's my classically worthless internet opinion...

In the 60s, sexually oppressed women came out liberated, unafraid to show their bodies and their sexuality. That was progressive. Scantly clad was bravery. A Declaration. Liberation.

Now what.... back into modesty? deliberalize those boobs, you're being exploited woman!

What the **** ever, people. I'm so tired of having to follow these stupid trends in pretend morality.

[FlashUNC]

Male gaze turnt up to 11 on that site.

[AllanVarcoe]

-It's reality..IMHO, there are far more 'ugly' things to worry about 'these days' than this..again, IMHO

THIS!:beer:

[ldamelio]

OP is absolutely correct with his sanctimonious observation. Our culture would be much better off if we put them in birkas and forbade them from exposing anything, even their faces.

Seriously....this kind of political correctness/unasked for 'social justice' for nonexistent problems is in and of itself oppressive. And tiresome.

Counter-rant over.

[witcombusa]

I'm with the OP--it not that these are photos of cute girl athletes who happen to be in the drops or whatever and showing a little cleavage--these are soft core porn poses of young women athletes.

No sense of humor, no shots of them performing their events--nothing except exploitation.:mad:


Soft core porn??!! :help: Uhhh, NO.
I'd be happy to link you some if you'd like to compare :beer:

Some of you guys need to get over yourselves. They are pictures of women, female cyclists. THEY can do as THEY wish. If it offends you, to bad.

[JStonebarger]

Yeah, right. And when the junior women on my team see this "hottest women" spread I'm sure they'll feel so empowered by it.

Until the "hottest men" edition hits Cycling-Today I'll consider the web site and its apologists an insult to every cyclist's intelligence.

[eBAUMANN]

Seems out of date, and/or they forgot PFP.

https://www.instagram.com/paulineferrandprevot/

she is in...EVERY...SINGLE...PHOTO...that she posts...
ay carumba
shes cute and all but IG accounts like this just feel a little too ego-strokey, hopefully its run by someone else purely as a promo tool for her.

[bobdenver1961]

THIS!:beer:

+1 :hello:

[ultraman6970]

Who hasn't watched porn (at least a little in their lives) or hasn't had dreams at some point in their lives with x or y person can really throw the 1st stone.

[malcolm]

There will always be worse things to worry about.

[FlashUNC]

Related thread: Why don't I see more women cyclists? Huh, the mind boggles.

[ptourkin]

Related thread: Why don't I see more women cyclists? Huh, the mind boggles.

On here? I can think of two badass ultra cyclists who have been on here. One got requests to see her butt after she asked about marks from bibs and the other got seriously condescending comments for cyclists who don't an eighth of her accomplishments when talking about an incident.

Oh and calling them "broads..."

[Dead Man]

Paceline is definitely one of the most sexist places I frequent. It's like walking into a strip club.

[fuzzalow]

Things like sexism, objectification or the devaluation of women will take time to work its way out of a society. With a fair degree of tenacity, steadfastness and courage it Is and will be possible. But it will progress in minute degrees and slowly.

These women in the photos gotta do what they gotta do. Linsey Vaughn doesn't owe anyone to make a political stand to refuse a endorsement or a photo shoot for what she needs to do to earn a living. To me, those photos aren't as bad as the overtly sanctimonious would like to have you believe - I'd say that it has progressed from posing them as sexual innuendo to a risqué form of a model glamour shooting. Sure, the saintly want women portrayed as nothing less than asexual depictions from an age that never was - but c'mon be real.

And that subtle progression in photo shoots is progress. Mary Barra as CEO of GM is progress. The millennials or Gen X-er women that take leadership roles in society and business is progress. The glass is half full. Have the courage to see a long endeavor to change for the better rather than throwing in the towel because change wasn't made to be seen right now. That's just an excuse to quit.

[kramnnim]

she is in...EVERY...SINGLE...PHOTO...that she posts...


Isn't that why IG exists? Selfies, photos of your food, and of your pet. Batty's dog has his own account... lol.

[Tin Turtle]

Thanks for helping me with my determination to lose weight.

[Dead Man]

Paceline is definitely one of the most sexist places I frequent. It's like walking into a strip club.

This was a massive helping of sarcasm, btw. For those who might be confused.

[oldpotatoe]

This was a massive helping of sarcasm, btw. For those who might be confused.

Ya need to find a sarcasm emoji then..

[fuzzalow]

This was a massive helping of sarcasm, btw. For those who might be confused.

There isn't anything about you that is in any way confusing at all.

[Joxster]

No which one would you buy a Bianchi off?

A:
1697921299

B:
1697921300

[FlashUNC]

On here? I can think of two badass ultra cyclists who have been on here. One got requests to see her butt after she asked about marks from bibs and the other got seriously condescending comments for cyclists who don't an eighth of her accomplishments when talking about an incident.

Oh and calling them "broads..."

That was my point.

I'd wager Augusta National has more female members than the board.

[redir]

News flash: Men are attracted to women.


Over.

[malcolm]

No which one would you buy a Bianchi off?

A:
1697921299

B:
1697921300

Depends on the price. The cyclist in the bottom looks like a female cyclist and not a stripper on a bike.

[Dead Man]

There isn't anything about you that is in any way confusing at all.

There you go confusing elitism and arrogance with education and insight again.

[makoti]

That was my point.

I'd wager Augusta National has more female members than the board.

Ouch.

[William]

America still has Puritanical streak running through it....at least on the surface.

http://www.secretmirror.com/wp-content/plugins/RSSPoster_PRO/cache/408cf_fbc99810-393f-0133-5b72-0aecee5a8273.gif








William

[firerescuefin]

OP is absolutely correct with his sanctimonious observation. Our culture would be much better off if we put them in birkas and forbade them from exposing anything, even their faces.

Seriously....this kind of political correctness/unasked for 'social justice' for nonexistent problems is in and of itself oppressive. And tiresome.

Counter-rant over.

This^

[earlfoss]

The only thing that I find offensive about a scantily-clad hot gal posing with a bike is when she is wearing high heels.

I mean, really, how is that practical at all?

[CampyorBust]

No which one would you buy a Bianchi off?

It really makes no difference, they are one an the same.;) The important part is buying the Bianchi and making the correct color choice!

http://i1149.photobucket.com/albums/o584/Dvirgueza2/GoT/Melisandre_zpsb3132fc4.png (http://media.photobucket.com/user/Dvirgueza2/media/GoT/Melisandre_zpsb3132fc4.png.html)

I too think ldamelio hit the nail on the head.

[Dead Man]

The only thing that I find offensive about a scantily-clad hot gal posing with a bike is when she is wearing high heels.

I mean, really, how is that practical at all?

I was mostly offended (disappointed) at the lack of sharp and high contrast tan lines.