General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Revealed. [View all]The Straight Story
(48,121 posts)As evidenced by their sales.
But a few don't like it and believe that because it exists those young women were exploited, men hate women and only see them as sex objects, women who buy it are 'cohorts', etc and so on.
Or maybe a lot of people aren't freaked out by folks wearing next to nothing and see something a few others don't.
I get the whole idea that all people are in their own way beautiful. We don't 'need' women like this on the cover and it does not represent all women - and it would be nice if we all realized that this is just one subset of the entire group.
Thing is, I think most people do realize that. Like I said when I found out my X had Parkinson's it is a damned shame we don't show people like her in beer ads and such. And it is.
On the other hand I get that folks like looking at beautiful people in such dress and poses and I am as ok with that as I am women and others looking at men who are physically fit and more attractive than myself (which is about most the human male population).
It is akin to this for me: some people look at the desert and see it as a hot, dry, miserable place. I look at it and see the wild life, the cactus and sage brush, and so on. Post a pic of a snow covered mountain and most people would probably click that they liked it more than the dusty old desert. It would sell more calendars, paintings in homes, etc. People have preferences for 'beauty' and I don't get why that is a 'bad' thing.
It might be ignorant to some extent but it also comes down to personal preference.
My preference? I don't buy the magazine. I don't read their website (though I do check scores on there at times). Their magazine, their choice, and the same goes for the person who buys it. And just because some like it does not mean I think they are all somehow lower than me in the world or are evil or bad or hate women or think women are just sex objects.
People have preferences when it comes to beauty and what is 'sexy'. It is natural and not always some part of some great conspiracy. Is it short minded?
In my view, yes. But then I have different tastes and preferences myself. Calling people names and telling them they hate women is a bit much to me (misogyny definition is: "a hatred of women" .
I personally don't like how women are often displayed in this society, but I don't think it is because we all hate women. My problem comes in, on DU, with how some folks try to define others as haters and such while harboring their own hatred and biases. We can do better as a society in representing women. And we should. And I am certainly on that team - but I have been kicked off it and labeled because I don't always agree on the motivations assigned to others.