Female Sports need more Sex Appeal?

Some responded, no, while others responded yes. Richard Matheson gave great examples to me. One was regarding women Winter Olympians on the covers of Sports Illustrated in bikinis. Bikinis is no where near their everyday attire, so modeling this is not even the point and doesn't pertaining to their sport. Wearing bikinis entices male readers thus to get more fans to watch them. Why can't they sport their stuff in the nature of their talent? They don't need to flaunt their body for the rest of the world to notice their talents and success.

Others said yes, it would get more fans. But I must ask, what about gymnastics? What about swimming? These athletes wear minimal amounts of clothing while doing two or three flips in the air or gliding through the water while breaking previous swimming records? Is that not enough for the world to watch? Do they want more? What will the world come to if all the women sports compete in bikinis just to increase their fan population? What does this say about the appearance of women to all, especially children?

I appreciate one comment at the end, where he said its all about the girls' ability. He said if they competed and beat the guys, they would get more attention. I believe this to be absolutely true. Chrissie Wellington is a three-time Ironman world champion. In her last race, she beat all the women and if she raced against the men, she would have come in seventh! That is amazing in itself, and she doesn't need to flaunt around in a bathing suit for people to notice how amazing she is.

• Dusty Rush likes this.
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    Benny Thompson Nope

    December 1 at 5:26pm ·
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    Alicia Gallo What kind of question is that!? Move on!

    December 1 at 6:02pm ·
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    Andrew Gallo I think it would!!!!

    December 1 at 6:14pm ·
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    Russ Tuemmler absofruitly, especially if I designed the outfits : )

    December 1 at 9:11pm ·
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    Richard Matheson

    Here's a lengthy and opinionated response:
    Sports marketers are already pushing that strategy. A few examples:
    
    First, the Sports Illustrated article covering female US Winter Olympians before the olympics. Did they really all need to be inswimsuits? Is Lindsey Vonn more credible as an athlete if she's in a bikini? Apparently she gets more readers that way.
    
    Seconly, FIVB Volleyball. Male teams wear board shorts and t-shirts. Their female counterparts play in tiny bikinis. Further, when a team is serving the net player signals the server by using hand signs held behind them. In a men's match these signals almost never get TV coverage. In a women's match almost EVERY signal is shown with the signaling player's bikini-clad backside filling the frame.
    
    The U had an ad campaign for the Red Rocks a few years back that pushed the boundaries in terms of sexualizing their athletes.
    
    In a trend the opposite direction, athletes competing in Ironman events are wearing more now than in years past. Paula Newby-Frazier dominated in Hawaii for years wearing bikini bottoms and a sports bra (Faris Al Sultan, a male athlete from Germany, still dresses this way. Ick). Today the trend toward compression race gear has athletes wearing longer bike shorts, knee length compression socks, a tri-specific singlet and possibly separate sleeves. Compression, heat control and solar protection are apparently more important in those events.

    December 1 at 9:52pm · · 1 person
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    Sean Michael Welch Yes, no doubt. That's the only reason I watch gymnastics.

    Thursday at 1:05am ·
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    Darren McAffee Ha ha, sex appeal has NOTHING to do with it. It is all about ABILITY, girl sports would get more attention if they started competing with and beating the guys ;)

    Yesterday at 12:04am ·