Open question to the Internet: Why is it apparently mysogynistic of men to get excited about the Olympics women’s beach volleyball because there’s pretty ladies jumping about in tight sport bikinis, when half of the female Tumblr population has done little else this week but perve over the Olympic male swimmers in their tiny swimming trunks?
Because female athletes aren’t considered to be serious competitors. Because the women’s football tickets are being given away, and the men’s football tickets cost thousands upon thousands of pounds. Because female athletes struggle for sponsorship unless they’re stereotypically aesthetically attractive enough to get modelling deals whereas Wayne Rooney’s neanderthal face gets paid millions. Because male athletes are valued because of their prowess, their skill, their charm, and female athletes are valued for their bodies. Because Michael Phelps breaks records and is a national hero, and Ye Shiwen breaks records and is accused of doping. Because the male gaze is a product of hundreds of years of oppression, of complex gender dynamics, of sexualisation and sexual exploitation, and there’s no female equivalent. Because the female exposure of the body is a sign of vulnerability, of sex, of reproduction, of physical use and nothing more, whereas male exposure is a sign of confidence, of power, of physical strength. Because women are naked on the covers of magazines to pleasure men and men are naked on the cover of magazines to inspire other men. In other words, the world is backwards, and twisted, and complicated, and your observation is perversely oversimplified.
PLOT TWIST: I agree with both of these people.
Also, here, social justice blogs, mull over this:
What if you’ve been “perving” over ALL OF THE ATHLETES? Men and women.
Or, better yet,
What if you’ve been “perving” over ALL OF THE ATHLETES while simultaneously thinking,
GODDAMN LOOK AT THESE BEAUTIFUL HUMANS. LOOK AT WHAT THE HUMAN BODY CAN ACHIEVE WHEN WE ARE DETERMINED AND PASSIONATE. LOOK AT THE OBSTACLES THEY ARE OVERCOMING. LOOK AT THEM IN MOTION. LOOK AT THAT TRUE, UNADULTERATED JOY ON THAT FACE. LOOK AT THAT FRUSTRATION. THAT DETERMINATION. FUCK, SOMETIMES HUMANITY IS WONDERFUL.
….? Because, welp, that’s what I’ve been up to.
Because, you know what, “social justice blogs”, I really don’t think there’s anything wrong with someone who is attracted to females finding enjoyment watching attractive, talented women playing sports. I do not think there is anything wrong with someone who is attracted to males finding enjoyment in watching attractive, talented men playing sports. I also don’t think women’s sports and athletes should be marginalized, ignored, laughed at, or objectified as they often are.
But you know what I really, REALLY think?
We should stop shaming people for watching the games “wrong” because the Olympics are supposed to be about unity, harmony, and respect, godfuckingdamnit.
(via samwinchestersdickofdoom)
Loki may have failed to take over the world….but he certainly succeeded in taking over tumblr.
