U-19 Scandalous Photos

[The Beaver]

I found this on Elaine's kick-ass site. Must admit I was a bit shocked. Yes, these young women are having some good clean fun--mostly--but some of the shots are surprisingly provocative. (Hey, if woman can lust after Beckham and Jose Theodore and other sports hunks, why can't we admire female athletes?)

Check this out:


http://www.gobigred.ca/u19/gallery/i...._Canadian_Fun

[Elaine]

Just to give those pics some context ... it's a U19 tradition to have a "bad kit" day in which players just dress up awfully and have a practice with the outfits on. This time around, the players didn't have practice with the outfits but rather went to dinner with the outfits on etc.

[The Beaver]

quote:Originally posted by Elaine

Just to give those pics some context ... it's a U19 tradition to have a "bad kit" day in which players just dress up awfully and have a practice with the outfits on. This time around, the players didn't have practice with the outfits but rather went to dinner with the outfits on etc.

They went to dinner in those outfits? And who is the young woman with the fake ass cheeks sticking outta her shorts? Her hair covers her face and I can't tell who she is.

Looks like they had a good deal of fun. Nice to see. Did Mr. Bridge don whacky gear, too? Or was this a team-only dinner?

Great shots, and great site, Elaine.

[Elaine]

quote:Originally posted by The Beaver

They went to dinner in those outfits?

yup .. dinner at the UofO cafeteria

quote:And who is the young woman with the fake ass cheeks sticking outta her shorts? Her hair covers her face and I can't tell who she is.

that would be selenia iachelli ... she's definitely the team "clown" (so to speak)

quoteid Mr. Bridge don whacky gear, too? Or was this a team-only dinner?

yup ... the entire staff was dressed up too ... i forget what coach brdige was wearing, but i do remember that shel was dressed up as a norewegian soccer player etc.

elaine

[seether]

Scandalous?

[Ed]

I guess the Beaver finds Halloween SCANDALOUS. I suggest he get out more often.

[Christian B.]

Nothing scandalous. What's the problem? It's a bunch of girls having fun together. It's only good for the team's spirit.

[The Beaver]

My goodness, lads, I'm having a piss-take. I guess I've got to start posting more often so you guys remember my modus operandi--thick irony.

Yes, they are having fun, and they are so damned cute doing so.

[mattbin]

Not to take the fun out of the whole situation or anything [though such a preamble inevitably does so]...

But isn't it funny how quickly a discussion of women's sport sexualizes the participants? And I don't even mean on informal chat sites like this. I remember recently hearing a sports journalist -- can't even remember whether it was a soccer event, or whether it was something else, athletics maybe -- praise a female athlete's "beautiful, beautiful legs".

Now, I have a female friend who is often mesmerised by the physical attributes of muscular male athletes in short, clingy uniforms running around a football pitch. But it's much more common that male players be praised for skill, and female players be praised for looks.

Keep it in mind, if you doubt me; you'll be surprised, I think. I was.

Again, not taking a poke at anyone on this thread. Just thought it a good time to bring the subject up.


Allez les Rouges,
M@

[The Beaver]

Matt, I think the issue is a helluva lot more complex than that. Male athletes are not sexualized in the media as often or as quickly as female athletes for numerous reasons, the largest and foremost being that the press--especially the sports press--is still very much driven and owned by men. I would say, too, that our hyper-awareness of gender bias and other gender issues makes us especially prone to pick out the sexualization of female athletes and mostly ignore or poo-poo the same sexualization of male athletes. Beckham is a star on the world stage--a super-media-star--because he is a good soccer player AND a great looking guy. The difference, generally, is that the media we read is owned and editorially driven by men, with male writers and commentators who would be loathe, if not downright embarrassed, to admit that Becks has beautiful legs etc. Gay friends of mine think he is beautiful, as do my female friends, but none of them can tell me if he is a good footballer or not. That, frankly, is beside the point in their minds. And they are unapologetic about it, too. Do I find this annoying? Not really. Who does it hurt, really? Not Beckham.

Yes, there are female sports fans soley interested in male athletes for their skill, but many women will notice the looks, too, and some will notice only the looks. Are we offended as men? Not usually. Some of us get jealous, but the standard response to this is basically, "Get over it, he's just a (insert sport here) player."

We could write a book on this issue, Matt, but we don't have time for it. All I wanted to note is that the issue offers much debate and many other angles of interpretation and critical reality than any summary could offer. (As you well know, I realize.)