The night was about celebrating talented, strong, ambitious women.
Women who are too often sexualised. Women who have worked bloody hard to succeed in a male-dominated industry. Women whose sponsorship deals and media coverage often pale in comparison to that of their penis-possessing counterparts.
Yep, Women’s Health’s “I Support Women in Sport” awards on Monday night in Sydney was an important, even monumental event for Australia’s female athletes – and the magazine should be applauded for hosting it this year and every year.
But disappointingly – and downright bizarrely – the night was marred by one face-palm worthy addition.
As Fairfax Media reports, three near-nude women wearing briefs and body paint posed on the red carpet on Monday night alongside the real athletes.
The models were painted to resemble a gymnast, a swimmer and a netballer. Their nipples were clearly visible. Their presence could have been a clever stunt to highlight the sexualisation of women in sport — but sadly, it wasn’t. The models’ presence served no purpose, it seems, except a decorative one.
Image via Getty
Understandably, the move is under fire this morning from all directions.
“I’m amazed that a female editor would think that this is a good idea,” journalist Lisa Wilkinson remarked on the Today show this morning.
Top Comments
There's nothing empowering about women on display with painted breasts. It's distracting and takes the focus off the athelets. It's ironic media promotion which encourages women to be undermined and viewed as sexual objects.
What is wrong with the display of a new art form? They chose to show their support in a different way. Having women who are comfortable enough to do this in such a public arena should be empowering, not be frowned upon, because that's how some of the opinions we see now can about.