The front page of Yahoo is featuring a news story about the cover of the February 8th Sports Illustrated Olympic Preview issue which features Olympic Women’s Ski Team member and Minnesotan Lindsey Vonn in what is being described as an image that objectifies and sexualizes women participating in sports. The accusations stem from the blog of a teacher at the University of Minnesota’s School of Kinesiology Nicole LaVoi, who is the Associate Director of the Tucker Center for Research of Girls and Women in Sports. Here is the image in question:
The blogger refers to this as a sexualized pose, to which many commenters have pointed out that her tucked position is indicative of the sport. The author has followed-up, pointing out that while this is a skiing pose, it is not occuring “in action” and stands by her assertion as being sexual and objectifying the woman subject.
As a knucle-dragging male, I find it a stretch to think this image in any way sexualizes or objectifies Lindsey Vonn or in any way diminishes the contribution of women in sports.
So just how turned on are you?
Latest comment — justpbob: MinnPost's David Brauer chimes in on Vonn's recent swimsuit photo in the Star Tribune.