the Ladies make me want to work harder...

[Morrigainz]

I guess to me "sexual" and "sexualized" are different. Nothing wrong with appreciating a fit body, but you don't see men's bodies being sexualized the way women's are.

[Irish Oisin]

Yes you do. Now, maybe a few years ago you didn't, but nowadays men's bodies are highly "sexualised".

 

Look at how most actors, when required to take their shirt off, have to have a sculpted body and ripped abs, broad shoulders and defined biceps. Look at sportsmen, they're all in great shape and we look at them every day and men and women find them irresistible. Comic books are the same, every guy is ripped, as much as every woman is fit in fairness.

 

As a man, I'm telling you that there is just as much pressure on men nowadays. Not to sound like a dick, but men just complain about it less 

[Morrigainz]

I feel like we are talking about two different things here.

 

Yes, there are unrealistic expectations put forth to both men AND women when it comes to some kind of crazy physical ideal. That is undeniable, and the evidence can be found in all those places you just mentioned.

 

However, the deliberate sexualization does not happen to men, to the degree it happens to women. When was the last time you saw a close-up shot of a dude's package, or his glutes, wearing tight shorts that would give even the skinniest person a wedgie? I have no problem with people showing off their fit bodies, but there are so many photos and vids out there of women that are in a deliberately sexual position. Which almost negates the effect of "wow, she's super fit, I wonder what she did to get that way?" and instead leads people to think "heh heh...butt...heh heh."

[I-Jo]

It is specifically NOT just a cool fitness video.

 

Every time I open an magazine and there is a calvin klein add in there.  To answer your question.  

 

Although I don't disagree with you fully- (see the steve correll and John steward- and one other guy- if men had to post like women- it's pretty funny)

 

But- I think you're missing the point- sure you can see it as just the pure sexualization of women- but guess what- women are bitching constantly that society and media values and focuses on these twiggie models- and here you have a woman whose slamming- and fit- and she proves it doing amazing feats of gymnastic strength- and you're still unhappy.

 

Why can't it be sexy and fit?

 

the woman working out in the rain is just a video of a woman in the rain- this was a glorification of fit and sexy.  

 

it's like the MAC strength builder.

[ETFnerd]

Most vids on utoob that feature women have that "appeal to men" sex factor to the point that its insulting that I can't find just women who have worked hard and just appreciate the fruits of their hard work. I don't have trouble finding that on the men's side... I can appreciate sexiness and beautiful women, but if that's all there is, then that's just a shell... an annoying one at that...

I try to pick vids that showcase women who live hard... and like they say around here... beauty is a natural by-product of hard work, taking good, loving care of yourself...p

Work hard... love yourself... be awesome... help and love others... be yourself 'cause you're awesome... be happy... what else is there in life?

[Irish Oisin]

When was the last time you saw a close-up shot of a dude's package, or his glutes, wearing tight shorts that would give even the skinniest person a wedgie? 

David Beckham. Underwear ad. His package. Everywhere.

 

And ya know what, he looked great, the man is in great shape!!

[ETFnerd]

And if someone annoys me, then fuck'em... I'm too busy being awesome to bother myself with that... :-)

[ETFnerd]

[Bones]

Watching that was almost discouraging. Those girls are beasts!

[ETFnerd]

there was a time not so long ago when women were marginalized and didn't have any role models... you're living in good times...

 

[ETFnerd]

[Bones]

there was a time not so long ago when women were marginalized and didn't have any role models... you're living in good times...

Well said!

[quaintly]

there was a time not so long ago when women were marginalized and didn't have any role models... you're living in good times...

 

While I'm not wading into the objectification battle (though, if you think women just whine about it more, you probably need to read the male privilege checklist), this statement is just ridiculous. That's like saying black Americans living in the Jim Crowe south were living in good times because - hey - black Americans used to be slaves. Or homosexual men and women are living in good times because they used to be stoned, now they're just denied the right to marry (in the US, I realize other countries are not so backward). While things ARE better now, and I thank every woman who has fought the battle to make it that way, telling women to be grateful for what they have because it used to be much worse really downplays the role that implicit (and many times explicit) sexism plays in the modern world.

 

And now back to watching some crazy fit people doing amazing things.

[The Mouse]

Maybe I'm weird, but I didn't find the sexualization in the first video to be offensive. Mind, I don't find sexualization of fit, strong women to be offensive in general - I view it as a kind of power women have that men don't have as much of (or that they don't have in the same sense - women can be sexualized towards men and women, whereas men generally can only be sexualized towards women. Dunno if that makes sense). 

 

Mind, I'm informed with ETF's thread title and all, but her walking out of that car, opening the door to some dingy garage (first clue) and then doing two!! fingered pull ups - I mean, hell. If she wants to look like she's sexualized, she's damn entitled to - and I really would hate to be the guy/gal who makes her feel like she's not worth worship and respect. Heck, if there was such a guy, I'd only hope I was there with a cheering section and an ambulance on speed dial.

 

I will agree, however, that the sexualization present in marketing in general is very bad. Marketing which sexualizes women to the effect of portraying them as mindless, helpless man-slaves is completely unacceptable - both when this is used to sell a product (shown to be relatively ineffective in both men and women audiences) and in hopes of giving women a skewed "ideal self" to pursue. 

 

But marketing/media that portrays women in a sexualized manner that portrays a positive, strong, insanely fit image is more than okay by me. If Nike put out an ad that featured a woman like that doing two fingered pull ups or the lady in the rain doing levers wearing their newest sports bra - fuck it. That's not bad sexualization in my book. Not if they earn that body, not if they keep it, not if they condition it; not if that's the message of the ad. It's one thing to let the masses define what a woman's identity is, but to take that identity and put your own, strong and badass stamp on it? That's a whole other thing.

 

 

Now, I'm with Quaintly - back to watching women I want to be like when I grow up. 

More accurately, I want to meet Littlest Kim - she's my hero.

[Bones]

While I'm not wading into the objectification battle (though, if you think women just whine about it more, you probably need to read the male privilege checklist), this statement is just ridiculous. That's like saying black Americans living in the Jim Crowe south were living in good times because - hey - black Americans used to be slaves. Or homosexual men and women are living in good times because they used to be stoned, now they're just denied the right to marry (in the US, I realize other countries are not so backward). While things ARE better now, and I thank every woman who has fought the battle to make it that way, telling women to be grateful for what they have because it used to be much worse really downplays the role that implicit (and many times explicit) sexism plays in the modern world.

 

And now back to watching some crazy fit people doing amazing things.

 

I think it's beneficial to celebrate steps forward...It's all relative. No one was declaring that women should be grateful for what we've got, cause it's the best we'll ever have...It was more of a statement not to be discouraged that there are strong, capable women out there and instead to be encouraged because we are heading in the right direction.

[ETFnerd]

While I'm not wading into the objectification battle (though, if you think women just whine about it more, you probably need to read the male privilege checklist), this statement is just ridiculous. That's like saying black Americans living in the Jim Crowe south were living in good times because - hey - black Americans used to be slaves. Or homosexual men and women are living in good times because they used to be stoned, now they're just denied the right to marry (in the US, I realize other countries are not so backward). While things ARE better now, and I thank every woman who has fought the battle to make it that way, telling women to be grateful for what they have because it used to be much worse really downplays the role that implicit (and many times explicit) sexism plays in the modern world.

 

it wouldn't be the first time that i've made a ridiculous statement... :-)

 

"all great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning" -albert camus

 

"the intelligent [wo]man finds everything ridiculous, the sensible [wo]man hardly anything" -johann wolfgang von goethe

 

if you can't be grateful for what you have because everything hasn't been fixed in the world, then you will never be grateful for anything because there will always be something wrong in this world... grateful doesn't mean satisfied... good times doesn't mean that things can't be better...

 

you can be grateful for and enjoy what women have achieved, while at the same time being unsatisfied with the remaining social injustice of sexism... there's no incongruence there... :-)

 

hope you don't take this to mean that i'm marginalizing people who have no shoes... ;-)

 

[ETFnerd]

It is specifically NOT just a cool fitness video.

 

Every time I open an magazine and there is a calvin klein add in there.  To answer your question.  

 

Although I don't disagree with you fully- (see the steve correll and John steward- and one other guy- if men had to post like women- it's pretty funny)

 

But- I think you're missing the point- sure you can see it as just the pure sexualization of women- but guess what- women are bitching constantly that society and media values and focuses on these twiggie models- and here you have a woman whose slamming- and fit- and she proves it doing amazing feats of gymnastic strength- and you're still unhappy.

 

Why can't it be sexy and fit?

 

the woman working out in the rain is just a video of a woman in the rain- this was a glorification of fit and sexy.  

 

it's like the MAC strength builder.

 

what are you talking about...?

 

[Irish Oisin]

[Morrigainz]

There we go! There are some nice bubble butts for Mir

 

ETF - I guess I'm glad I find everything ridiculous...hahaha.

[Irish Oisin]

The video on the previous page of the women lifting and being badasses....damn!!!

[guest439437484421]

relevent: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=580367948650870&set=a.269510769736591.66409.263676913653310&type=1&ref=nf

[guest439437484421]

also, http://thehawkeyeinitiative.com/

[Irish Oisin]

hahaha, badass!!

[ETFnerd]

she can do a lot of pullups...

 

[Maledictus]

ETF, do you just go looking for videos of awesome women doing awesome things?

 

Your theories intrigue me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.  Love the Carmen Amara one.