Every time I log onto this website and there is a female portrayed in the “powerful images” area, I am very disappointed by what I see. The images chosen of women are either of a sexual nature (this is usually the case) or those chosen to elicit a negative reaction as in the case of the February 10th image. I would like to ask the T-Nation staff to show us a little respect by chosing images of women that are truly chosen to inspire and not those chosen solely to arouse or shock. I would like to see you use images of athletic women which represents them as athletes. Not in lingerie or posed in a sensual manner. We already see enough of that in the bodybuilding mags which you so adeptly ridicule. Place yourself above the Flex and Muscle and Fitness mentality. Show us some role models, not porn models. It’s been a long hard road for most of us. We’ve had to overcome gender biases and work our asses off to gain a little respect in the weight room.
So, to that end I am posting several images to get you started on the right path. The first on here is women competing in the pole push at the Highland games.
Dude, that’s a great shot. Henie (I’m pretty sure I spelled that wrong) is a lovely woman. I’m not sure who the other lady is.
I posted a couple of body builder types in the “yo vegita” thread and got some flack for it, but I think…mostly…they’re pretty hot.
There’s a point where they just lose it.
But mostly I like it.
Jennifer Thompson. Competes in the USAPL - that’s a drug tested federation for all you neophytes. She set this world record after blowing out her knee a month before. She had to wait until after the meet before she could have surgery due to the drug testing. I’ve watched this women bench at my gym. Very impressive.
I have to agree-I can see T+A anytime I want to, what is hard to find is a real T-vixen. Heini Kovounemi (sp?) from Finland for example. In a field of very strong but not very feminine competitors, she proved that she could get on the podiom at WSW 3 years in a row-while still looking awesome. Even Jill Mills “supplemented” though she was inspires the hell out of me. 585 dead lift and lifting the 300 atlas stone @ 165 is more than 95% of men at ANY size!
Just like I don’t want to see a man in drag-I’d rather not see a “female” running more test than I do Please post Athletes. Patricia was the perfect example. I am pretty sure we drove her off. I have met her in person and she seemed to want to be taken seriously more than anything else. I am NOT offended at the past images, just voting for what I would MUCH rather see.
While, I think you make a good point about the irony that T-Nation, while poking fun at the T&A in other mags, presents plenty itself(or allows plenty to be presented by certain members), I think you are being a bit biased yourself in regards to the “shock” pictures.
A few have been, admitedly, grotesque at best, and appear to be examples of hideous degrees of steroid use, however, there have been a number of female bodybuilding shots that were muscular, but not grotesquely so. The image of the woman doing the lat-spread comes to mind. While these may be “shocking” to some, I think its a positive form of shock, in other words “Wow, thats amazing development”. There have been several other similar pictures in the past.
Agreeably though, I think they could do without the T&A. If one is after porn, I think everyone can surely easily track some down on the internet.
By the way, I think the first image you put up would make a very good powerful image except for its width. Resizing it would likely ruin the picture, however its a great pic all the same. I personally rather like the picture I posted above of Jill Mills, two time World’s Strongest Woman, too.
Vonda Ward - IBA Heavyweight champion. 6’6", 185 lbs. Not only can she kick your ass, but she was quite a college basketball star also. I see her every day at the gym and she is a phenominal physical specimen (and quite a nice person). If you think female weight lifters had gender barriers to overcome, think about what female boxers are faced with.
Moon, I’m not sure what you’re trying to say?
I think images of strong/developed/powerful women in lingerie or whatever are actually a positive thing.
It’s easy to almost dehumanize and certainly defeminize someone with a large degree of development and diet–like the woman posted the other day who had the really bad breast implants.
On what Moon Knight wrote:
I posted the Highland games shot to set the tone of the post. I agree it would be too wide.
I have watched Jill Mills many a time in the Worlds Strongest Women competition and she is quite impressive. For those who state that she is “enhanced”, well so was Arnold, Columbu and Draper, but their images are posted here all the time.
I totally agree with you Gojira. Sure I like porn but that’s not the reason I come to T-Nation. Great pic of Vonda Ward by the way. Thanks for starting this thread.
I have to agree with goj. I’m not sure why I would come to this site and want to see some chic in platform heels, lifting her skirt to show her panties? Seriously. I want to see that about as much as I want to see some juiced up pro male bodybuilder. I think the best reactions are to the pics of the older bodybuilders like Arnold , Colombu, Zane, ect. I don’t see why there can’t be pics of Jill Mills and the like. I know there was a pic of Shannon Hartnett (which was the cover of a MILO) posted once and I thought that was great…but do it more often.
[quote]Joe Weider wrote:
Moon, I’m not sure what you’re trying to say?
I think images of strong/developed/powerful women in lingerie or whatever are actually a positive thing.
It’s easy to almost dehumanize and certainly defeminize someone with a large degree of development and diet–like the woman posted the other day who had the really bad breast implants. [/quote]
No, it is not a positive thing. it trivializes their athlete accomplishments. What it says is “we’re not interested in you as an athlete, we only want to view you in a sexual context”. This is what we are seeing with the trend towards “figure competitions”. Some of these are nothing more than beauty contests aimed at bringing in an audience by presenting scantily clad slim women on stage in high heels.
One of the Powerful Images a few months ago was good. It was a woman doing the hammer throw (Highland Games variation - can’t think of the exact name of it). It was sexy and badass at the same time.
The whole point of the Powerful Images section is to get people to react somehow. Whether it be “Ew” “Damn, thats hot” “Hes ripped” “Thats nasty” etc. Some of these pictures that you guys posted, while they are impressive would possibly get a response somewhat like “yeah thats cool but whats so special about it?”
I think the problem is that there aren’t too many women doing things that are totally badass, and even worse, finding pictures of these totally badass women doing totally badass things are hard to come by. Thats just my interpretation.
Okay, I certainly see and understand what you’re saying, let me see if I can clarify my thoughts a little more.
Just about every woman is beautiful. Some more than others, some for some reasons and some for others.
I was at the New Hampshire Highland Games last year, walking behind a muscular woman who was walking with a “normal” woman. I was watching the muscular lady, thinking about the effort she’d put into her body, how hard I know it is…and how good she looked because of it.
Same time, a couple of bonehead eminem wanna-be’s has to start nudging and pointing at her, making the usual comments. RAMBLE
Anyway, I just wonder if a strong lady chooses to pose in lingerie or whatever, and looks damn fine doing it, isn’t she then going to reach out to a larger group of people to show them her work?
And, let’s not forget, I’m sure no one holds a gun to Shannon Hartnett’s head and makes her pose like that.
I don’t want to discount their athletic accomplishments or whatever, but I’m happy to appreciate them for their hard work–and part of that is appreciating their feminine beauty etc?
–I don’t want to argue with you, just to discuss!
Please post Athletes. Patricia was the perfect example. I am pretty sure we drove her off. I have met her in person and she seemed to want to be taken seriously more than anything else. I am NOT offended at the past images, just voting for what I would MUCH rather see.