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Golf Medias Objectification of Women

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Post by McLaren Thu 19 Jan 2017, 9:27 am

I think we have all noticed that Golf digest in particular has started to cover women in a lads mag mannor but as discussed by Geoff Shackleford below they are not the only ones at it.

The Guardian and Telegraph articles are also worth a read.


Geoff Shackleford wrote:Critics Consider The Golf Media's Objectification Of Women


Golf.com's fourth annual Most Beautiful Women in Golf "shines a light on some of the game's most dynamic personalities: LPGA sensations, golf-loving celebrities, TV stars and more." It almost appears to be the biggest budget golf photo shoot of the year, though some will wonder given the much-circulated image of Jan Stephenson posing in a bathtube featuring geriatric shower handles only are seen at Mayo Clinic Courtyard's.
Golf Medias Objectification of Women Jan12

Not that there's anything wrong with Courtyards at the Mayo Clinic. But back to the main point...

Anya Alvarez pens a guest piece for The Guardian ( https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2017/jan/17/most-beautiful-women-golf-magazine-sexism ) on the golf media's complicated relationship with women. As a former Big Break contestant who was spray-tanned to look like a Jersey Shore star. She calls out all of the major publications and television, then writing:


"I played on the LPGA tour for one season and the developmental tour for two years before that. During my time on tour I felt better coverage for female golf pros could actually help grow the game for women. Since golf is male dominated, and the recreational golf population is only 20% female, golf media focuses on appealing to men. Perhaps magazines and websites think that if they started providing real coverage on LPGA golfers men would lose interest. Maybe they’re right, but they would no longer be marginalizing women. Women make up 50% of the population, so in business terms it does not make sense to completely undermine us by only viewing us as bodies to be objectified and gawked at."


The Telegraph's Oliver Brown ( http://www.telegraph.co.uk/golf/2017/01/12/beauty-pageant-reveals-thefull-scale-golfs-sexism-fight/ ) was also inspired to write after the Golf.com package appeared, and specifically targeted Holly Sonders.


"Sonders, predictably, took to Twitter to say she was “humbled” by the accolade. My colleague James Corrigan countered, quite rightly, that she ought to feel insulted. For if Sonders postures as a progressive force for women for golf – and she does, openly – then she should perhaps question, firstly, why not a single top-50 active player merits a mention in this risible list and, secondly, why an influential magazine insists upon ranking according to aesthetic rather than athletic virtues.

The crassness is overwhelming. In football, Sepp Blatter was all but flayed alive, with some justification, for suggesting that women’s matches could be more enticing if the protagonists deigned to wear tighter shorts. Golf, however, makes a veritable industry out of this casual objectifying."


Brown also goes after Golf Digest.


"In May 2014 it decided that, all things being equal, it was high time to find a female cover star. There was an eclectic array of contenders: teenage phenomenon Lydia Ko was on the rise, while Lexi Thompson had just electrified audiences in America by becoming the second youngest women’s major champion in history. Instead, the brains trust in residence alighted upon the figure of Paulina Gretzky, whose towering contribution to this great game was that she happened to be the fiancée of Dustin Johnson. Plus, she was glamorous – and amenable to the idea of seductively bending over her club in a sports bra.

The specious flannelling that Jerry Tarde, the editor-in-chief, used to justify this selection was priceless.

“Paulina ranks at the high end of the golf celebrity scene today,” he argued. “She has a compelling story to tell.”

Seriously, Jerry? A compelling story? You might care to study what one of your own writers said about Miss Gretzky, in another hit parade headed 'WAGs of the US Open’, to form a fuller sense of her exotic hinterland.

“She is known for posting scantily-clad photos of herself on Instagram,” the caption reads. “And, well, that’s really it.”"



The WAG's slideshows do way more hits for the sites than any actual golf coverage, so they aren't going away.  

However, given the harrassment Paige Spiranac receives and the privacy concerns that have PGA Tour WAGs wearing credentials identifying them by number, at some point the objectification situation will become a security issue.

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2017/1/18/critics-consider-the-golf-medias-objectification-of-women.html


To me it is pretty clear the golf media has an issue in the way it covers the womens game but what do the rest of you think?
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Post by navyblueshorts Thu 19 Jan 2017, 11:06 am

I'm not sure I care very much, but insofar as I do, I would tend to agree that there's little relevance to how a woman plays golf and what she looks like in a bikini. That said, I'm sure they could always say 'No' to the money being offered and not take part in any photoshoots that might make a play out of what they look like.
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Post by raycastleunited Thu 19 Jan 2017, 1:59 pm

For once I agree with you Mac. I've noticed this whenever I visit any US sites (usually following links to articles posted on here). If a golf website is not suitable for viewing at work - which sometimes I feel they are borderline - then that can't be right.

I think some of these institutions need to consider their role in society and objectives. What does Golf Digest stand for?

I've not noticed such an issue in Europe.

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Post by pedro Thu 19 Jan 2017, 4:41 pm

Not that it makes it any better, but womens tennis has been the same way for years. And they should 'need' the attention even less than womens golf. Just look at Wozza, Serena, Ana etc. None of them are doing it because they need the money, and few seem to do it to 'grow the game'.

But I do agree with ray that some US golf sites such as GC are overdoing it.

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Post by robopz Thu 19 Jan 2017, 6:08 pm

raycastleunited wrote:I think some of these institutions need to consider their role in society and objectives. What does Golf Digest stand for?
I get worried any time it's suggested "media" should be deciding for its readers/consumers how they should think. And IMO suggesting golf media taking a social role in this regard is exactly that.

Bottom line... sexual attraction is human nature and no amount of political correctness or attempts at social engineering is going to change that. Women's golf is in part successful in a mostly male dominated golf audience because of the sex appeal of many of its top stars. And that ain't gonna change either.

I would be a lot more sympathetic to calls for the media to take a role in this issue as soon as women's golf institutes a uniform of baggy jumpsuits and demands it's player's refrain from wearing makeup and abandon all attempts to "sex themselves up". But until then... All I wanna know is why there aren't more calendars and such featuring LPGA hotties in tight fitting golfwear, bikinis and bathtubs.

Oh... And if the female golf viewing demographic is salted with women who only tune in to see "Hunks" in their tight fitting Nike shirts... That's fine with me too...

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Post by Roller_Coaster Fri 20 Jan 2017, 10:26 am

Commercial publications pandering to their market - no problem with it.

Participants/players willing to go along with it (and presumably accept the recompense received) - no problem with it.

Consumers of such publications choosing (or not) to consume product in knowledge of content - no problem with it.

Ideological standpoint on whether "this sort of thing" should happen - it probably shouldn't but until attitudes on any/all of the previous 3 points shift it'll continue. Unfortunately, my attitude is a bit "meh" to it all, I don't buy golf publications anyway so whatever is on the cover will only ever be a bit of a "did you see" chat if it was interesting and no more.

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Post by super_realist Fri 20 Jan 2017, 10:31 am

I presume that Mac would not desist from looking at the pictures despite his obvious disgust.

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Post by pedro Fri 20 Jan 2017, 10:55 am

super_realist wrote:I presume that Mac would not desist from looking at the pictures despite his obvious disgust.
Well, he probably bivouaced outside the newsstand to get hold of the 'Adam Scott swimsuit special limited edition'.... "I read it for the articles..."

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Post by raycastleunited Fri 20 Jan 2017, 1:44 pm

robopz wrote:
raycastleunited wrote:I think some of these institutions need to consider their role in society and objectives. What does Golf Digest stand for?
I get worried any time it's suggested "media" should be deciding for its readers/consumers how they should think. And IMO suggesting golf media taking a social role in this regard is exactly that.

I just want to qualify my point here. I have no issue with a publication deciding it wants to objectify women / be a subsitute porn mag etc. It's just that publication needs to think about what it stands for. Is it a light hearted "fun" lads mag or an authoritative source providing unbiased coverage of the game?

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Post by McLaren Fri 20 Jan 2017, 5:13 pm

Roller

obviously publications can print what they want as long as it is legal, but isn't it ok to ask for certain standards?


Robo

Rory may have a tight T-shirt but that does not equate to the objectifying manner in which Golf digest and others use images of women. They are pretty blatantly using imagines and references to women in the same way lads mags do. I don't want to go into the grow the game bs but it isn't a lot to ask that the mainstream golf mags avoid sexists tropes.
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Post by robopz Fri 20 Jan 2017, 5:17 pm

I guess it depends on how you look at it... I see it more of promoting of women in golf as opposed to objectification. "Here look, Golf is for stylish, attractive women too". If hottie Belen Mozo entices me to turn on an LPGA tournament, and in the process I learn she's a wonderful player and that Shanshan Feng had a hullva game too... Seems like a win-win to me.

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Post by robopz Fri 20 Jan 2017, 5:26 pm

McLaren wrote:
Robo
Rory may have a tight T-shirt but that does not equate to the objectifying manner in which Golf digest and others use images of women.  They are pretty blatantly using imagines and references to women in the same way lads mags do.  I don't want to go into the grow the game bs but it isn't a lot to ask that the mainstream golf mags avoid sexists tropes.
Give me a break... Do you understand that women's golf Tours exist today ONLY because they fit most of the definitions of sexist?  

sex·ist
ˈseksist/
adjective
1. relating to or characterized by prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex."

The only part of the above that isn't accurate in describing Women's professional Golf Tour's, and IMO Golf's WAG issue as well, are both are PRO women... and present them in a POSITIVE light.

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Post by super_realist Fri 20 Jan 2017, 5:49 pm

Mac, I know you admitted that you'd fellate Adam Scott if offered his member, but if you are trying to tell me your attention on Womens Golf has not been maintained that little bit longer because of a few attractive players, then I don't believe you.
I bet if they all looked like Jutanugarn, Laura Davies, Christina Kim or Inbee Park you'd never have watched a minute of it in your life.

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