Also, it must be really weird for the winners of women’s races to stand next to podium girls!

Cinnamon girl, you’re right, I don’t think that podium girls are necessarily being exploited, but their existence in sport is seen by many women as a bit of an insult, given the amount of barriers they may have faced. Things are rapidly improving though and huge progress is being made in women’s sport, so much so that podium girls are starting to look a bit silly to a lot of people.
Totally agree with you on body image, but surely inequality plays a part in that too?

What I’d really like to see is a ‘code of conduct’ whereby, for example, bosoms bursting out of frocks and thong flashing is outlawed. Common decency really.

Not sure inequality plays a part in body image but I do think self-esteem plays a huge part and that really needs addressed.

Oh don’t be stupid

Yes I didn’t really think I’d get away with such a basic effort. Ho hum.
😀

If the girls are happy then no one has any right to complain. Its not sexism, its capitalising and that’s no problem. You don’t have to watch thee podiums, surely just a waste of time. Its marketing and the sponsors want airtime. Presentations are dull so jazzing them up a bit keeps people watching.

To one of you above. Try being white, male, married, no kids, straight, working, healthy, middle aged and educated. The most discriminated bunch out there.

Are you having a bit of a bad day?

Mattsccm, I am all of the things on your list and I’m lucky enough to have never been knowingly discriminated against in my life. I’d think if I was a member of the most discriminated against group in society, I might have noticed by now.
I’m sorry that you feel the way you do, it can’t be easy when you’re white, male, married, no kids, straight, working, healthy, middle aged and educated and still being discriminated against.

Open your eyes Fin, has your job not recently been taken by a black disabled lesbian? It happens all the time.
Nope, mine neither. Although I am a woman. So it might yet be. 🙄

Sure as hell find podium girls an anachronism that shows incredibly limited ambition for the human race. Getting young riders to give prizes is much better. I’ve heard many stories of kids being inspired by meeting their heroes.

To one of you above. Try being white, male, married, no kids, straight, working, healthy, middle aged and educated. The most discriminated bunch out there.

Or try explaining discrimination to someone who is white, male, married, no kids, straight, working, healthy, middle aged and educated and see how it goes. Please feel free to list how you are discriminated against when people look at you, make assumptions based on your genitals or your skin colour, how people decide where you are from before you speak etc.

Thanks for clarifying the merits of your contribution to this thread – in case there was still any doubt!

When my kids watch the Olympics, my daughters are inspired. What message do they get about my sport when they watch the Tour etc?

When my kids watch the Olympics, my daughters are inspired. What message do they get about my sport when they watch the Tour etc?

That they identify their strengths and then use those strengths to make their way forward in life. Maybe?

What message do they get about my sport when they watch the Tour etc?

Men are willing to pay for female attention 😉

Podium girls cost money.

Which rather begs the question: are the ‘young cyclists’ being used to replace the podium girls getting paid the same amount for doing the same job? If so, then the argument for saving the money and spending it on women’s cycling is thus rendered totally redundant.
If not, then who’s being exploited here?

Given it’s in SA in school holidays then I think they will not run out of volunteers for that gig, like football mascots etc.

But what I really expect is that it will be a complete non event where people don’t even notice that the “totty” is missing as it were. Hence proving it to be an outdated idea that should have died off years ago like picking your PA based on look not skills etc.

But what I really expect is that it will be a complete non event where people don’t even notice that the “totty” is missing as it were. Hence proving it to be an outdated idea that should have died off years ago like picking your PA based on look not skills etc.

So where is this “totty” going to earn the same level of money that they do when they do the podiums?
The ones I have met are not the brightest and their “skills” are probably limited.
And where do we stop? Attractive sells and educated women choose to become models, actors, pop stars, etc. If my daughter decides that she can make a good living from her looks, then good luck to her. If that means ignoring a rather expensive education and she’s come to a rational decision, then all the better.
A group of males deciding what is best for women? How about we let them decide?

Missing the point? It’s not about depriving somebody of a job it’s about why they are there. In this case the main event organiser couldn’t find a good enough reason to employ models to hang around and hand out prizes like the majority of other sports. If you feel the need to pay somebody then put out a fair selection criteria that has equal opportunities. The job description is basically hold random prize object then hand to sports person waiting for photo leave. I’m sure they would be inundated with applications for the.

Missing the point? It’s not about depriving somebody of a job it’s about why they are there. In this case the main event organiser couldn’t find a good enough reason to employ models to hang around and hand out prizes like the majority of other sports. If you feel the need to pay somebody then put out a fair selection criteria that has equal opportunities. The job description is basically hold random prize object then hand to sports person waiting for photo leave. I’m sure they would be inundated with applications for the.

Sorry, I thought this was about podium ornaments and equality, the sort of equality that lets the women decide.
Sex sells, right up from the street corners of Leeds to the biggest Hollywood blockbusters. And it’s quite natural as well, I believe. Years of Attenborough documentaries have shown me how animals make themselves more beautiful in order to get a mate.
I’m all for talent being the decider, sometimes that talent is looks.

But what is it selling?

Sorry, I thought this was about podium ornaments and equality, the sort of equality that lets the women decide.

What are podium ornaments for?
(and as SA government will be an equal opportunities employer how could they specify women?)
The equality you speak of would probably be there if women were making the decisions, but they are not. The decision about who gets the job or who stands on the podium isn’t being made by women.
So now we try the if they didn’t want to they wouldn’t take the job argument which is basically saying people will turn down work.
The real point is that the people running this spend a heap of cash trying to help people with body image problems and other conditions that are basically related to a very specific type of image being shown to young women (and men) as what is desirable. It’s causing harm to people so they decided not to continue.

I’m all for talent being the decider, sometimes that talent is looks.

If you told me that the kid presenting the winner was the National Under 19’s road race champion I reckon that would impress me and the riders more.

They say sex sells but here, what is sex selling? Who is turning up or tuning in or looking up the results just to look at a pretty girl? I’m not going to argue that it’s suddenly justifiable if it improves the appeal of cross racing by 20% or whatever… But it doesn’t, does it? It’s just a load of pointless old cock.

That Breitling advert back on p1 just had me going, wtf was that? How does that sell a £5000 watch? Sexist or not, objectifying or not, it’s also offensive as incredibly shit advertising.

I can see that in some situations it does work- like, frinstance, “booth babes”- people will take, post and print pics of a product with a pretty girl on top, who wouldn’t necessarily bother if it didn’t. That’s pretty crap but at least it’s serving a purpose.

And ffs, it’s 2016, every manner of nudity and sexuality you can imagine, and lots you can’t, is a click away. So who is still going phwoaarrr at brolly girls? Monks and 80 year old race organisers, I suspect.

Ah, I was wondering what it was you had in mind for your daughter.

This is about kids getting to give prizes to cyclists vs pretty women right?

Which will advance the sport more? Kids being excited, inspired and involved? Or middle aged blokes eyeing up the talent whilst women feel vaguely uncomfortable?

Which will advance the sport more? Kids being excited, inspired and involved? Or middle aged blokes eyeing up the talent whilst women feel vaguely uncomfortable?

None of the defenders of the status quo have answered that point.

This is about kids getting to give prizes to cyclists vs pretty women right?

Or is it about winners of races getting to look good by association with attractive women. Much as James Bond gets to look good in the same way.

Clover, spot on.

In sports where money is tight you don’t see podium girls and young participants are used. It’s great for up and coming kids, they go back to their clubs and spread the word.

I wonder at what level of money rolling in do the organisers think that it’s time to buy in eye candy? Seems an odd decision nowadays and most likely stuck back with traditionalists, it’s time they were gone.

Much as James Bond gets to look good in the same way.

well he needs all the help he can get as

Try being white, male, married, no kids, straight, working, healthy, middle aged and educated. The most discriminated bunch out there

Poor Bond the great victim of discrimination

Its hard to tell what is homour on this thread and what is stupidity

Or is it about winners of races getting to look good by association with attractive women. Much as James Bond gets to look good in the same way.

‘Cos of course, they didn’t look good enough by merely winning? They need pretty women otherwise they look like losers?

‘Cos of course, they didn’t look good enough by merely winning? They need pretty women otherwise they look like losers?

Good point. Let’s suggest to F1 drivers that they spray each other with Irn Bru, not champagne, as they look good enough already.

Poor Bond the great victim of discrimination
Its hard to tell what is homour on this thread and what is stupidity

However, a straw man is always easy to spot.

Nope not helping as still not sure if humour or stupidity oh and WHOOOSH

DrJ – Member

However, a straw man is always easy to spot.

What, like suddenly talking about James Bond? Because I tell you, that guy doesn’t need arm candy to look good, all he needs is swimming trunks.

I’ve said too much.

Ah, I was wondering what it was you had in mind for your daughter.

Not cool or funny. 👿

but you just said you dud not have a problem with it

I’m all for talent being the decider, sometimes that talent is looks.

could one say you are cool with it as long as she is not ugly?

Its not our fault you dont like your argument applied to your daughter and the point is to get you to generalise this feeling to all women not just her.

NB No offence meant and I agree that bringing up peoples children is clearly not acceptable/fair/reasonable and this is not my intention i meant it merely to highlight the point and could see no other way to do it- a thought experiment if you will. No offence meant

So in summary

Some men will see a podium girl and wont letch or perve over her
Some men will see a podium girl and will letch or perve over her
Some podium girls love the work
Some podium girls hate the work
Some women aren’t bothered by podium girls
Some women are bothered by podium girls
Some kids wont notice the podium girls
Some kids will notice the podium girls

[video]https://youtu.be/W3Qn1uHlRIY[/video]

Which is exactly why I brought it up – to be fair he did bring his daughter into the discussion and I was just quoting his words (I did consider making a similar point when he first mentioned not having a problem with his daughter exploiting her looks as I was wondering if he did have a line – but decided it was maybe a bit far until captain equated podium girls with the ones on street corners in Leeds). Again no offence meant, but it is something you need to consider if you think you really don’t have a problem with the whole business, and you do consider it’s all part of the same thing.

Ah, I was wondering what it was you had in mind for your daughter.

Nope. Nor is shovelling shit. But neither are morally wrong – just undesirable career choices.

But standing on a podium smiling is a desirable career choice? In which case where exactly do you draw the line between desirable and undesirable?

In which case where exactly do you draw the line between desirable and undesirable?

Somewhere between wearing a nice dress and getting an air kiss from a slighty sweaty cyclist in Paris, and giving some fat businessman a blow job in the back of a car in Leeds.

^ so… A bit of a fingering in Maidstone, then.