Choosing to be objectified as a Sports Illustrated model is progress.

[MyUncle]

The ability to decide to use your body, image or likeness in any way you choose, for whatever compensation you would like, is progressive. The annual freak out over the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue is such a waste of energy and time.

Seriously, women who want to do this should, without judgment. If they want to "exploit" themselves, who are we to judge? Men who want to enjoy this type of "photographic" art should be free to pay their money and do so without judgment. Again, who are we to judge.

Let's let those who choose to live in the model/fantasy world just go about their business without the NSA/right wing style finger pointing. Isn't tolerance for all personal behavior that does not harm others a righteous goal?

Are swimsuits, body paint, an occasional nipple glimpse on a wet body worth getting upset about?

We live in a 1 click world that gets us video sex anywhere, anytime on any device for anybody. Are we really going to have indignation at bikinis in 2014?

[rrneck]

1. With all due respect...

[1000words]

9. Thread win!

awesome gif

[flvegan]

3. This is going to be awesome.

[seabeyond]

4. SI isn't the issue. Girls willingly objectifying yhemselves, you looking at porn is not the issue.

This is a progressive board. Women and feminists are a large part of the party. The issue is not creating a hostile , sexist environment that women are expected to participate in to be a part of a democratic progressive board. That is the issue.

[MyUncle]

5. Sorry, I do not understand your response.

eom.

[msanthrope]

11. Hostile, sexist environment? You persisted in using sexist language towards me, even after I asked

you to stop. You laughed about using it. And to this day, you've refused to address this one simple question:

"Is it okay for the men on this board to use the term "dear" when addressing you?"

I think before you take the mote out of someone else's eye, you should take the beam from yours.

[sabrina 1]

15. None of the women I know feel they are expected to participate in anything they don't

want to participate in. We have tools, thanks to the administration, to make anything we don't want to read or see completely disappear. Why is that so hard? If people just did that, these threads would drop like stones and disappear all by themselves. I don't understand why people insist on kicking them, making them the most viewed posts on DU.

I will be writing about Women's Rights around the world when I get a chance over the next few weeks. I hope the topic generates as much interest as the cover of SI, because what I am researching right now should cause women AND men everywhere to be appalled. But frankly I'll be surprised if those claiming outrage over this, will even bother to read about what is going on with women who have zero choices, zero power. They never do generate much interest, topics on the plight of women victims of our policies. Certainly not here on DU.

[davidn3600]

17. The problem is you equate sex-positive feminism to patriarchy and misogyny

Even if you dont realize it, you are openly insulting people who don't believe in your brand of feminism.

I am sure you know that the feminist movement isn't exactly homogeneous....especially for the last 30-40 years. It has fractured into various factions. And just because someone has a different opinion or a different view doesnt mean they hate women.

[Loaded Liberal Dem]

6. Officially Licensed Products

SI is just one of many magazines which promulgate the notion that women aren't merely objects, but, potentially, property as well. Sorry, Uncle; gotta give a thumbs-down on this one.

[Scootaloo]

16. Spoken concisely

well all recognize that the models do this because they choose to do so; that's not the issue, the issue is the cultural impact of objectification. It's such a simple notion that one can only conclude that some people are quite intentionally working hard to not get it.

[elleng]

7. They do.

They can.

I don't have to like the product.

[neverforget]

8. oh boy

[Tuesday Afternoon]

10. an occasional nipple glimpse

*snort*

oh my god.

funny.

understatement of the year contender right there

yes siree buddy

yee haw.

[pacalo]

12. Very sensible.

You get a heart from me.

[cui bono]

13. You've lost the plot. It's not about the models.

This isn't about a model making a career choice, it's about objectifying women as a whole, and in this case in particular, doing it publicly on a political board that is supposed to be progressive and have respect towards women. Why not just look at the issue in your living room? Why does it have to be posted here, on a political board where you would think men would show more respect to women, for all women to have to see and "hear" men objectifying those women? You said yourself, you can click and find sex very easily on the internet, so go find it somewhere that isn't meant to be about certain values that the Dem party is supposed to stand for, like equal rights and respect for women.

The public sexual ogling of women in bathing suits isn't respectful to women. Would you do this on the street loud enough for all to hear? In your workplace? If your female friends were in a room with you and you were ogling this cover and making comments out loud and they said it bothered them, would you not stop? Even if you aren't able to see the societal problem with it?

Imagine if you said something offensive to one African-American, would not all AAs who heard it be offended? It's not about the target, it's about the person who is doing the objectifying, about their attitude. And it's about the effects of that on society.

Why is it that so many men on here are more concerned that they aren't "allowed" to make public comments about desiring women than they are about the feelings of other women on this message board? Why is it so hard for every man to just be sensitive to what women experience when this goes on? Why is it more important that you get to publicly post pics of women in bikinis and your sexual attraction to them than it is not to offend your fellow DUers?

There was a time when people didn't realize that some varying degrees of racism/homophia were inappropriate or hurtful. As time goes on those views have evolved and changed. Sexism as well. Hopefully they all continue to change as more people become aware and evolve and decide to show some sensitivity to each group's plight.

Honestly, maybe it's because I've always lived in cities save for Santa Cruz, which is really progressive/liberal, but I'm really surprised at the backward thinking of men on this board. It's time to get past that kind of thinking and get sensitive to the other half.

It's not about the model. And it's not about your freedom. It's about respecting all the women on this board and elsewhere. If you choose to continue the sexist behavior so be it. But you are making a conscious choice to disrespect DU women for all of them to see.



And I haven't even begun to bring up how these airbrushed and photoshopped pics give girls/young women terrible body image issues to the point where they develop eating disorders, sometimes fatal ones.

Is this what you would want your daughter to aspire to:



THIS ONE SHOWS WHAT SHE SEES WHEN SHE LOOKS IN MIRROR COMPARED TO WHAT SHE REALLY LOOKS LIKE:

[alp227]

14. You're framing the issue wrong.

Not the women's problem they're doing what they're doing. It's the consumer base they're appealing to. And a nation that doesn't know jack sh** about healthy sexuality thanks to "abstinence only education" and an unhelpful popular culture that spawns songs like "Hot for Teacher" and "Blurred Lines".

[MadrasT]

18. You're responding to an argument nobody is having. n/t