There is Hope Afterall

This post pissed me off. I don't generally read this blog, but got there via a blog roll. What can I say, the title hooked me. There are PLENTY of people, myself included, who are watching and enjoying the Olympics for ..... wait for it...... the sports, athletes, and games. If you are to believe this blog, the entire male population of the world is fixated on Beijing, China with one hand on their remote control and the other on their "baton." I won't deny there is a certain portion of viewers luridly watching the lycra and spandex clad swimmers, divers, and gymnasts for prurient reasons. Where I differ is that I believe a VAST majority of viewers are watching to cheer on their home country athletes or are enthusiasts of a particular sport or game. To dissect the entire post would take far too long and bore most of the readers (and this author), therefore I'll pick out the most aggravating piece to me:

That these women train for years for the opportunity to represent their countries is overlooked because of course everything women do is about selling sex to every [sic] ready males.

Are viewers really overlooking the fact that beach volleyball pair of May-Treanor/Walsh haven't lost in over 100 consecutive matches? Are viewers really overlooking the years of training, lap upon lap of pool time, endless therapy sessions, and number of Olympics that Dana Torres has competed in? Are viewers overlooking the fact that the U.S. Women's Softball team had won every gold medal in the sport ever contested until this year? Have viewers not seen story upon story about the sacrifices that female marathon runners, sprinters, cyclists, and gymnasts have made for their chance to compete on the grandest of stages?

Getting back to all of that lycra and spandex, it must be a conspiracy by Nike, Addidas, Speedo, and all those other uniform manufacturers to objectify female athletes. They've all gotten together and decided the only way to sell their product to men (who purchase a great deal of women's sportswear) is to make it as tight and form fitting as possible. Could the beach volleyball players be wearing gym shorts and t-shirts? Sure they could. Could Natalie Coughlin and Rebecca Soni be swimming in bloomers? Sure they could. Could sprinters be competing in sweat pants and sweatshirts? Sure they could. However they all gain a competitive advantage, either real or psychological, by what they choose to wear. The fact that they are skin tight and a segment of the viewers focus on that is unfortunate. But to speculate the only reason the uniforms are designed that way and that the only reason NBC or any other network is airing beach volleyball, swimming, or gymnastics is for the sex appeal should be insulting to women. If that were the case, the female rowers, equestrians, and badminton players would all be clad in the skimpiest of outfits.

Having said that, U.S. Women's Soccer goalie Hope Solo can guard my goal anytime. She was fantastic in Thursday's Gold Medal Game against Brazil. Solo made over a dozen saves, many of them in spectacular fashion, throughout the 120 minute overtime game for the 1-0 shut-out and a Gold Medal. Sometimes there is beauty in both form and performance. Some viewers can appreciate them both.