This was always the image that came to mind when someone said the word "hockey."
If you'd said "women in hockey," I would have thought of something like this.
Oh, foolish me. Of course I should have known. In our not at all sexist society, in which women who point out things that are sexist are berated for trying to kill the boys' fun, this is what is meant by women in hockey. Please--forgive me for thinking that women might have actual skills and talents rather than being simply tits and ass.
I always loved the fact that hockey didn't subject me to the ridiculous phenomenon of scantily clad cheerleaders.
Oh...but now they have Ice hoes girls.
Yes, I said it.
All right, if you're going to have ice girls, why not get some Ice Guys out there too? I'm sure most straight women would prefer to see guys in skimpy costumes rather than females. If having scantily clad cheerleaders is such a great idea, why is it completely one-sided? Oh, because it's catering only to the male fans. Which is, in fact, sexist.
This gal said it better than I did. I'm just ranting. I don't want my favorite sport mucked up by slutty-looking (whether they are slutty or not in their behavior, they look slutty) cheerleaders.
I also love the straw man argument that always comes up whenever someone mentions that using women as eye candy in situations such as this is sexist. If the person making the charges of sexism is female, someone automatically argues that said complainant must be "fat and ugly." Because, of course, all conventionally attractive females are okay with being objectified. If the complainant is male, he must be homosexual. Because, don't you know, all straight guys see women only as tits and ass.
As well, whether or not the woman arguing sexism is fat and perceived as ugly or the man arguing sexism is homosexual really does not matter. They have made a potentially valid point regardless of their physical appearance or sexual orientation.
When you bring out the straw man, you automatically appear to be of lesser intelligence. What you are really saying is "I like having women be used as eye candy, and I don't want to examine the fact that there may be a problem with this."
The problem with the scantily clad cheerleader trope is that it perpetuates the idea that this is all women are good for. The guys ogling these women would not want someone treating their mother or sister as pieces of ass, I am sure. It perpetuates the outdated Madonna/Whore concept. It also teaches young boys that it's okay to see women as there for only sexual pleasure. It teaches young girls that their worth is measured only by their ability to be perceived as "hot."
The message being sent, in essence, is that no matter how much good a woman may do in the world, her true worth is only in her sex appeal. This renders older women, plain women, modest women, plump women, women with boyish bodies, and women who may have been disfigured by either birth defects or an accident all "worthless" in the eyes of our sexist society, no matter what they may otherwise achieve.
A woman may be an excellent mother. She may be a brilliant scientist. She may be a skilled surgeon. She may be a talented artist. She may be a great chef. She may be an adept leader. She may be a wonderful teacher. She may be a compassionate caregiver. She may be a fantastic athlete. But none of these things matter in the eyes of a society that values "hotness" above all else. And this is the problem that I have with the "Ice Girls" and other such groups, who are there only to appeal to the adolescent urges of certain males.
I think that this is the one and only cheerleading routine I've ever enjoyed watching. Yes, the costumes are somewhat revealing, but they're actually dancing, not just being eye candy. And the addition of the guys brings some much needed balance to their act.
Yes, I said it.
All right, if you're going to have ice girls, why not get some Ice Guys out there too? I'm sure most straight women would prefer to see guys in skimpy costumes rather than females. If having scantily clad cheerleaders is such a great idea, why is it completely one-sided? Oh, because it's catering only to the male fans. Which is, in fact, sexist.
This gal said it better than I did. I'm just ranting. I don't want my favorite sport mucked up by slutty-looking (whether they are slutty or not in their behavior, they look slutty) cheerleaders.
I also love the straw man argument that always comes up whenever someone mentions that using women as eye candy in situations such as this is sexist. If the person making the charges of sexism is female, someone automatically argues that said complainant must be "fat and ugly." Because, of course, all conventionally attractive females are okay with being objectified. If the complainant is male, he must be homosexual. Because, don't you know, all straight guys see women only as tits and ass.
As well, whether or not the woman arguing sexism is fat and perceived as ugly or the man arguing sexism is homosexual really does not matter. They have made a potentially valid point regardless of their physical appearance or sexual orientation.
When you bring out the straw man, you automatically appear to be of lesser intelligence. What you are really saying is "I like having women be used as eye candy, and I don't want to examine the fact that there may be a problem with this."
The problem with the scantily clad cheerleader trope is that it perpetuates the idea that this is all women are good for. The guys ogling these women would not want someone treating their mother or sister as pieces of ass, I am sure. It perpetuates the outdated Madonna/Whore concept. It also teaches young boys that it's okay to see women as there for only sexual pleasure. It teaches young girls that their worth is measured only by their ability to be perceived as "hot."
The message being sent, in essence, is that no matter how much good a woman may do in the world, her true worth is only in her sex appeal. This renders older women, plain women, modest women, plump women, women with boyish bodies, and women who may have been disfigured by either birth defects or an accident all "worthless" in the eyes of our sexist society, no matter what they may otherwise achieve.
A woman may be an excellent mother. She may be a brilliant scientist. She may be a skilled surgeon. She may be a talented artist. She may be a great chef. She may be an adept leader. She may be a wonderful teacher. She may be a compassionate caregiver. She may be a fantastic athlete. But none of these things matter in the eyes of a society that values "hotness" above all else. And this is the problem that I have with the "Ice Girls" and other such groups, who are there only to appeal to the adolescent urges of certain males.
I think that this is the one and only cheerleading routine I've ever enjoyed watching. Yes, the costumes are somewhat revealing, but they're actually dancing, not just being eye candy. And the addition of the guys brings some much needed balance to their act.
Here is a good post regarding real female fans vs. puck bunnies
Here is a post from the Cracked website about misogyny, which while written in an amusing style is also disturbingly accurate.
They don't show the whole thing, but if you get some Ice Guys out there doing this, I'll shut up about the Ice Girls.
They don't show the whole thing, but if you get some Ice Guys out there doing this, I'll shut up about the Ice Girls.
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