Podium girls

My problem with podium girls isn’t so much that they exist, more that they’re often the only place where women are visible in cycling. This week the Giro Rosa is taking place with virtually no tv coverage, whereas the podium girls at the TdF are on TV every day. I want to see women in a variety of roles in cycling and elsewhere rather than just acting as trophies.

Please take a minute or 30 to watch the EWS and DH highlights from the weekend. The TDF is one of the biggest sporting events in the world so of course it gets a ton of coverage, the girls just happen to be a side part of that.

Now, if they were being abused or exploited, were breaking the law or were doing harm to someone else I might have something to say about it, but I do not believe that “podium girl” crosses any of these lines.

So what you’re saying is that there are circumstances in which it’s not ok for your daughters to do what they may wish. That is at odds with

I have 2 daughters and would encourage them to do whatever they wished to do in life

But we (society / government) don’t believe any activity is acceptable. We have a nuanced view from totally acceptable to totally unacceptable, mainly driven by it being ‘harmful’ to others or society in general. hence suicide bombing / murder / asbestos…. etc. are not allowed.

Whether you think it acceptable for some people to want to be podium models or porn actors is your call, ‘society’ has deemed that it is (and you may argue that point and I can see a valid view there). But once it’s been deemed acceptable then yes it is OK for people to choose to want to do it. It’s also therefore acceptable for the TdF to employ them if they choose to, question is whether that is desirable in this day and age.

I am sorry, I wasn’t aware there were points for pedantry. You win.

I’d really like the casual misogyny in everyday life to be banished but, on a positive note, I’ve never experienced sexism in bike shops. 🙂

I am sorry, I wasn’t aware there were points for pedantry. You win.

Your entire rationale was based around libertarianism, whereas in fact you have limits of acceptability, just like everyone else. I find it interesting that you view this as pedantry.

The debate, therefore, is around what we deem to be acceptable rather than some absolutist right. Or as theotherjonv puts it:

It’s also therefore acceptable for the TdF to employ them if they choose to, question is whether that is desirable in this day and age.

Yeah. Terrible. In this day and age…

Still – phwooaaar, eh? Eh?

As a counterpoint – if it is not acceptable for a person to seek and gain employment for their ‘skill’ or ‘capability’ of being nice looking – why is it acceptable in the same way for people to to seek and gain employment for other ‘god given*’ talents such as intelligence, or physical prowess such as speed or strength.

The race itself is morally flawed in the same way…… riders should be selected at random from birth, rather than for any actual reason. they couldn’t look any worse than Chris Froome, at least.

* term not chosen to be religious, YKWIM

they couldn’t look any worse than Chris Froome, at least.

On a bike I mean. Nothing wrong with the way he looks, if bald skeletal men float your boat.

Oh shit, this hole’s getting bigger…..

Oh shit, this hole’s getting bigger…..

Quick! Get your tits out! It’s the only way to distract everyone.

on a positive note, I’ve never experienced sexism in bike shops

Neither have I but I have experienced sexism in a few other shops – being called brave for taking my kids to Tesco FFS, especially as leaving them home alone would have had me arrested for child neglect.

Back on topic is it not sexist that there are no podium boys on the tdf? Or am I going to be wrong on that front too 😳

What’s the difference between a podium girl and a catwalk model in moral or cultural terms?

Jimjam – male models perhaps?

Dickyboy – Member

Jimjam – male models perhaps?

So we just need podium beefcakes for female sports and we’re all square?

a model is necessary for clothes to be displayed on

podium girls are pointless

reggiegasket – Member

a model is necessary for clothes to be displayed on

I find it interesting that there are so many people indulging in a hand-wringing exercise in getting offended on behalf of other people, in this case women who happen to be both attractive and intelligent, and suggesting that those people should be banned from being paid well to do a job that they seem to enjoy, on the basis that they find those jobs demeaning, which I can’t help but feel is both patronising and sexist.
I would have no issue with a daughter of mine, were I to actually have a daughter, choosing to do any damned job she chose to do, the only proviso being the job is safe and doesn’t expose her to any risks outside what would be acceptable in any workplace; this I think covers ransos incessant repeating the same sodding quote, in that I wouldn’t be happy with porn or prostitution because of the clear risk to health and safety!
Being a podium girl isn’t a great deal different to being an attractive female singer in a band, which results in being objectified by male gig-goers, and, from my many years of gig-going, a very significant number of female gig-goers.
There have been certain gigs I’ve been to featuring female artists where you couldn’t get near the front because it was all packed with girls, so the objectivisation is clearly equal-opportunity here!
This situation is even recognised by the term ‘Sleeper bloke’, from the band Sleeper, where Louise Wenner was the main object of attention, the rest of the band being merely a bunch of blokes there to provide backing.
It went even further with theaudience, where the male members of the band got fed up of being ignored in favour of their singer, one Sophie Ellis-Bextor, so got rid of her.
Wherefore art thou now, theaudience?

podium girls are pointless

But they carry the flowers and the cuddly toy lion!

The debate, therefore, is around what we deem to be acceptable rather than some absolutist right. Or as theotherjonv puts it:

In that case, it seems lots of folk do find podium girls acceptable. Including, quite crucially, the podium girls themselves.

Turns out the debate was quite simple in the end.

Personally speaking, if porn and prostitution was legislated and therefore subject to H&S I would sleep better at night regardless of whether my daughter chose either as a career choice.

Maybe if people spent less time worrying about what people did with their bodies and more time on getting other folk to respect them we wouldn’t need to have this debate.

Personally speaking, if porn and prostitution was legislated and therefore subject to H&S

Kneepads and safety goggles?

Right on, sisters.

I’m kinda torn on this.

On the one hand, my inner feminist is against the blatant objectification of women. “Podium girls” feels to me to be something that should have gone the way of Gene Hunt.

On the other, the liberal part of my brain thinks that denying that both women and men are sexual creatures and that finding someone aesthetically pleasing is somehow to be condemned is something dragging us back to Victorian times. Elsewhere on STW right now we’re discussing whether it’s appropriate for your children to see you naked.

I guess maybe, the issue is one of balance. These people are models, and modelling as a career goes back decades for both sexes. If your son got a job with Cartier to model wristwatches it’s not because he’s got a Chemistry degree, it’s because he’s pretty / hunky / otherwise physically attractive. Yet I don’t see people anywhere coming out of the woodwork to demonise the objectification of men, or campaigning to ban the Chippendales.

I was about to write about how being viewed as a great set of abs / boobs isn’t healthy but now I’ve suddenly just realised; it’s not the model that’s the problem is it, rather it’s the viewer. We all have our strengths, be that intelligence, power, speed, strategy… or beauty. Why should we devalue that if that’s someone’s greatest asset? Why is that something we should be shamed into being less proud of or bullied into not taking advantage of? We get whatever dice rolls we’re born with, you can’t choose to be clever any more than you can choose to be pretty.

No, the problem is that there’s a subset of men – mostly men, though I’ve encountered sufficient hen parties to know it’s not an exclusive trait – who look at a member of their preferred sex and think it’s ok to shout across the street “bloody hell, look at the arse on that, I bet you bang like a shithouse door!”

So the issue then is respect, isn’t it. It’s the line – and really, it should be more of a motorway – between being able to look at a pretty girl / guy and think “oh, she’s pretty” and extrapolating that into them just being there to be used for our gratification. And so the solution isn’t banning podium girls, it’s teaching young people (ok, primarily men) not to grow up to be disrespectful arseholes. Oh, and get some podium boys in too whilst you’re at it.

Cougar, earlier….

I’ve never experienced sexism in bike shops.

I have. Went into a popular high street chain to buy a bike. My OH, who a) was the one buying the bike and b) at the time knew more about the subject than me asked loads of questions, and the sales guy told me all the answers.

this I think covers ransos incessant repeating the same sodding quote, in that I wouldn’t be happy with porn or prostitution because of the clear risk to health and safety!

I think the big difference here is that these ladies are choosing this career. I’m far from an expert but I’d have thought that most (but of course not all) prostitutes instead “fall” into the profession. I expect that little Tamsin, 14, from Bristol is far more likely to have “model” as a career aspiration than “prostitute.”

In UFC when there is a womens weigh-in or womens fight they still have “podium girls” walking round in bikinis. It looks daft, I dont like it. In the TdF I’m not so bothered, they’ve got clothes on, they’re doing a job but I guess if I were to vote I’d say get rid.

In UFC when there is a womens weigh-in or womens fight they still have “podium girls” walking round in bikinis. It looks daft, I dont like it. In the TdF I’m not so bothered, they’ve got clothes on, they’re doing a job but I guess if I were to vote I’d say get rid.

Just watch Rizin. They have women and…erm…I want to say men?

Yes men and women could wear cup noodle outfits and that would be fair.

I’d be happy with my daughter being a podium girl. If she was fit but thiick as shite, like.

Yes men and women could wear cup noodle outfits and that would be fair.

As long as we can see the noodle’s package, then I’m onboard with that.

I’d be happy with my daughter being a podium girl. If she was fit but thiick as shite, like.

What if she was fit and intelligent?

Dani Pedrosa has been using ‘Brella Fella’s for a while now.

if I recall correctly there’s more than one Moto GP rider that has their wife next to them. I seem to recall Lucy Crutchlow on the grid with Cal…. Could be wrong mind….

I think I’m wrong, but….

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/sport/motogp/2017/may/motogp-spanish-politicians-clamping-down-on-grid-girls/

I miss the Maxxis babes 🙁

(More seriously, to go all flag-waving-outraged on a forum is actually a bit naff. Women nowadays have voices, choices and don’t need you lot to say what’s good for them).

As above, I can’t really get too worked up about it. One for the professionally offended I think.

I do wish other ladies would comment. 🙂

Considering these are possibly the best athletes in the world; would it be appropriate for an average looking girl to be kissing them on the cheek and handing them a bunch of flowers?

Only if it’s Sagan. 😉

Sorry, CG. Been a bit busy.