Should we have podium girls?

[blackcat]

In the wake of the Peter Sagan-podium girl incident at the Ronde, opinion has been divided as to the rights and wrongs of the incident itself and the wider situation and culture that it could be argued led to the incident.

One of the obvious things which, in a sense, led to the incident was the fact that the girl was there in the first place: no bum, no grab. Is having podium girls acceptable and just harmless fun, or is it a relic of another era?

this is the relevant premise

this is not about sagan. this is about podium girls. any feminist theory could see this. this is a mountain out of a molehill really.

no podium girls. who gives a hoot about sagan. the kid is 23. he does what a 23 male does, he plays up for skirt. get rid of the podium girls.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

It's amazing how people pretend it's normal for either 23 year old guys, eastern europeans, famous sportsmen, etc. to do these things.......

Look if he was 12 or something, he oughta just get a spanking by his mom, but he's 23.....

 

[luckyboy]

Plus it happens everywhere: at F1 races there are hundreds of promo girls. Doesn't make it right of course but cycling is hardly on it's own: cheerleaders, ring girls in boxing.....

Citing hugely tacky elements of other sports is hardly a persuasive argument to keep podium girls..

 

[CatsNK]

The ritual is strange. And it probably should go the way of the horse & buggy.

That said, if I ever get to meet Bode Miller, I already have planned my ***-pinching of him. Does that make me a sexist pig? Or just someone who really, really appreciates his body? The guy is hot and he's made himself into a sex symbol. I would expect he gets a few pinches now and again.

 

[katkotom]

I doubt they have a union, but getting rid of podium girls would dent a few promotional girls' incomes. Reckon the girls themselves would prefer to continue.

Plus it happens everywhere: at F1 races there are hundreds of promo girls. Doesn't make it right of course but cycling is hardly on it's own: cheerleaders, ring girls in boxing.....

agree, look at MotoGP as well...had this been done by Valentino, noone would have found it wrong...

 

[brilleaben]

I only watch cycling for the podium girls. The race is just a prelude.

 

[ebandit]

right

are you fvck!ng Kidding me??? is this thread for real??????

you're right..............anyone consider the cyclist being molested by those

podium girls lip smacking antics?

Mark L

 

[the asian]

In Islamic conservative countries like Oman & Qatar the podium girls are replaced by dignitaries.
If the organizers in Europe also feel that having podium girls is inappropriate they will replace them. It's solely the discretion of the organizers and I don't think others will be bothered about that.

 

[Netserk]

What can I say. _O_

 

[the asian]

What can I say. _O_

Matching colours! specially to serve him.

 

[taiwan]

Voted no, but I suppose pretty hostesses are fine if they a) are adults and b) are fully clothed. Because someone has to hand over the champagne. Maybe better if there were fewer people on the podium and money were spent on better prizes.

But she^ is beautiful.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

should we have ice cream?

No because they turn people into a fat mothafuka.

 

[taiwan]

should we have ice cream?

Yes but Rujano should lay off the cookie jar for a while

 

[the asian]

Voted no, but I suppose pretty hostesses are fine if they a) are adults and b) are fully clothed. Because someone has to hand over the champagne. Maybe better if there were fewer people on the podium and money were spent on better prizes.

But she^ is in my top 3 podium girls if that doesn't undermine what I just said.

Do they hav podium girls in the Tour of Taiwan?

 

[taiwan]

Do they hav podium girls in the Tour of Taiwan?

Idfk

 

[Le Baroudeur]

Why would you want to replace the podium girls with fat, aging, politicians/UCI-crooks/ex-dopers or whatever the alternative is?

What about a tom-bola and letting fans have the honour?

Failing that I'm sure there are plenty of staff / race helpers, or worthy local heroes that would be happy to fill the role.

 

[Swabian Lass]

No. The world's moved on. They make cycling and F1 look a bit dated imo.

 

[phanatic]

The opponents of podium girls seem to composed of lascivious prudes lamenting the desirability of those women, and post-modern feminists trembling before the male gaze. I think someone even praised the Arabs for how they fail to objectify women. I really hope the Europeans don't pick up on that cultural artifact.

 

[taiwan]

The opponents of podium girls seem to composed of lascivious prudes lamenting the desirability of those women, and post-modern feminists trembling before the male gaze. I think someone even praised the Arabs for how they fail to objectify women. I really hope the Europeans don't pick up on that cultural artifact.

Good term that.

Btw the first group you mention may be intended to include me. In response I would ask: have we met?

 

[Caruut]

The opponents of podium girls seem to composed of lascivious prudes lamenting the desirability of those women, and post-modern feminists trembling before the male gaze. I think someone even praised the Arabs for how they fail to objectify women. I really hope the Europeans don't pick up on that cultural artifact.

Thanks very much Mr Freud. What exactly do you mean by "post-modern feminists trembling before the male gaze"? To me it just makes it sound like you have no idea what feminism is. On Qatar and Oman, you've missed the point completely; they were brought up simply as evidence that a podium ceremony can go swimmingly without a pretty girl to hand.

 

[Caruut]

I find it disturbing how many of those who cry sexism actually have really demeaning views towards these women. Phrases like "pieces of meat", "bimbos" and "objects" have been thrown around by podium girl naysayers. Is that how you view them?

What on earth are you talking about? I think it's pretty obvious that these terms are used to object to the role the women are filling, not to demean the women themselves. I use the term "piece of meat" because I feel the podium girl tradition relegates such a women to being nothing but her looks, and to me that's problematic. I do not use it because that's how I think of the woman in question.

One side of the coin is going "sweet, bimbos!" *pinch* and the other is thinking; "what are those bimbos doing here?" ... Maybe I don't see the problem because I don't look down on podium girls? I don't view the job as demeaning. I think it's okay for a woman to enjoy being appreciated for her looks.

I don't look down on podium girls either. In the situation where it exists, they're going in there and choosing to make a little money. That's fine. I have no problem at all with the girls, I have a problem with the men who decide that they want to pay some girls to stand around and look pretty because I have a problem with the message that I feel that sends out.

I think it's okay for a man to appreciate a woman for her looks, a symptom of a condition known as "being a heterosexual male". And I think that's possible without viewing the woman as a piece of meat, an object, a bimbo, a *****, not worthy of respect, or whatever.

Total strawman. Appreciating women for their looks is one thing, specifically constructing scenarios where women are there for nothing but their looks in everday life, that's another. To me the difference between just seeing a pretty girl and paying one to stand around on stage is essentially the difference between a regular restaurant with a cute waitress and Hooters. One is normal and just people being people, the other is a strange artificially constructed scenario that objectifies the women involved. I respect the women involved like I respect anyone - I just think that their job shouldn't exist.

I wouldn't want the podium ceremony to be borderline softcore porn with women prancing around in bikinis like ring girls, but podium girls are, for the most part, pretty classy looking. I've never thought the ceremony is tactless and sexually suggestive. Of course, that was before I found out what the spraying of champagne represents! Maybe some of you guys just have a dirty mind?

So it's fine if they're an object, so long as they're your kind of object?

 

[movingtarget]

The opponents of podium girls seem to composed of lascivious prudes lamenting the desirability of those women, and post-modern feminists trembling before the male gaze. I think someone even praised the Arabs for how they fail to objectify women. I really hope the Europeans don't pick up on that cultural artifact.

Obviously the debate has taken a turn for the worse. Into the realms of some sort of PC heaven.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Question

Q:When was the last time a cyclist married a podium girl?

Couldn't find that on google.

 

[ElChingon]

Q:When was the last time a cyclist married a podium girl?

Couldn't find that on google.

Hincapie w/Tour de France Podium Girl, yes post Podium initial meeting.

Christophe Moreau, again post Podium initial meeting.

Ref.: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christophe_Moreau

Christian Meier, with TdC 2007 Podium Girl Amber Meier

Was Blond back in the day:

 

[theyoungest]

Gert Steegmans and polka dot girl.

Martijn Maaskant and Lien (the brunette podium girl for Flemish races, the blonde had her a.ss pinched)