Staff reportThe cover of Sports Illustrated's Winter Olympics preview issue, featuring a smiling Lindsey Vonn in a tuck, received a chilly reception from one writer.
Nicole M. LaVoi, an expert in sports psychology and women in sports, writes on her blog that it's bad enough that women rarely appear on the magazine's cover but when they do it's often in a suggestive manner.
"When females are featured on the cover of SI, they are more likely than not to be in sexualized poses and not in action-and the most recent Vonn cover is no exception," she writes.
Predictably LaVoi has received a lot of heat in the comments.
Read the entire story at nicolemlavoi.com
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"...could be particularly careful in future to not aggravate their female readers." -Melissa
Huh? Sounds like you, Melissa, are in that group of people who do not understand that this just happens to be an attractive looking female athlete in a "tuck" position in skiing. Men, these days, are constantly displayed as peices of meat for covers and the media. It just goes with the territory of being famous and attractive. Just look at that Danica chick. She's a decent racecar driver (not amazing), but she hardly hesitates to shed clothes and put on a bikini.
This Vonn girl isn't being taken advantage of. I'm sure she enjoys the publicity (and being looked at as a sexy woman).
I'd hit it
This is ridiculous, she is a freakin skier. Its not like she is in a bathing suit having a snow fight with her sugar daddy. I am a 22 year old male and this cover has absolutely no sexual innuendo. I just think that the writer needs to get laid and or has absolutely nothing significant to write about……. other that the record number of women that participate in winter sports and the amazing show that they put up at the winter x games…….. this writer is one of the reason why women don’t receive the same respect as men in the sporting world, because they come up with absolute bullshit such as this.
-LB
NICE BOOTS
To whomever picks the models for the SI Swimsuit Issue:
Why do you continue to FAIL to put the most beautiful woman in the known universe on the cover of this issue. She is way prettier than the girls (yes, they-re also pretty) you choose. AND she is actually fit.......very fit! Her name: JAMIE EASON.
Get a clue!!!!!!!!
Anyone perceiving sexuality when viewing this should seek medical help because you have serious issues. Guess we should ban skiing too?
I was looking at the covers of sports illustrated that was posted above by Stephen and comparing the male vs. female version.
In this case i see the following differences.
MALE version:
1. The figure is not exactly in a complete tuck position.
2. The guy is wearing a mask (looks anonymous) and looking forward - this looks like an actual shot taken during competition.
3. It looks like a generic picture of any male skier.
FEMALE version:
1. She is in a complete tuck position.
2. She is looking straight at the viewer making eye contact.
3. The picture was taken in a production shoot and she posed for the picture.
In general I think both male and females athletes are used in sexy/ attractive poses by marketers to sell products, but weighted more towards suggestive sexuality in the Female Side, ie.
(hmm wonder why Sports Illustrated has a Swimsuit issue?)
Welcome to the 21st century!
really? really?! if she wasn't in a suit, maybe. But she is a skiier. That is how you go fast. Just because the internet lets you express yourself, doesn't meen you should
For cryin' out loud! Save the sexism complaints for the Swimsuit Issue. This is a position skiers take to reduce wind resistance. The only way this complaint would be valid might be if the photo were taken from behind. I'm sure Ms Vonn would not approve.
This is just stupid. There was a male skier on the cover is almost the exact same pose in 92'. Its no big deal. These people need to get a life.
See it here: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/toc/9313/index.htm
I googled the cover because I had the same immediate response as Ms. LaVoi. And yes if this were a man I imagine gays would be writing in to comment. Women are often made into sex objects by Sports Illustrated and most other media, so perhaps the editors could be particularly careful in future to not aggravate their female readers.
Will916 is absolutely correct. I suppose that if it were a male downhill skier in this tuck position it would be said that he (or SI) was making a comment about gays.
Give me a break. It's only a sexual position because you choose to view it that way. She is a downhill skier who is constantly in the tuck position to get faster times.