- checking login information
Loading...Bikini Hockey League Demeaning to Women and Sports
Just when I thought the worlds of sports and reality television could not get any more disgusting, they do. Cary Eskridge, a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma has decided to create a bikini hockey league, where scantily clad women will play inline hockey for men to ogle over, and he’s making a reality television show about the process.
This is problematic in so many ways; where do I even begin? First and foremost, hockey is a really dangerous sport. I mean, when was the last time you saw a hockey player with all of his teeth? This isn’t to say that women cannot take part in a dangerous sport — on the contrary. My concern is that playing it inside, on inline skates, wearing little clothing and probably no padding is asking for unnecessary injury. At least Eskridge had the sense not to play the sport on the ice, where bikinis would be even more impractical.
The fact that he wants to turn this into a reality television show does not surprise me in the least. Just what we need is another reality show that is demeaning to women where we judge them solely on their bodies. I wonder if this show will be complete with “private” interviews and poorly edited voiceovers that aren’t even pretending to be what was originally said where the women badmouth each other and then take their anger out on the court.
I can only imagine the violence that will ensue for viewing pleasure. At this rate, I envision a glorified “chick fight” created so networks can get their ratings, and so sponsors can pay tons of money to get their product some air time. I’m sure these are only a few of the many tactics that are planned for the future of the bikini hockey league on reality television.
Looking at the “prospects,” I can only imagine the body image issues that will be created by watching this show. It should be no surprise that the women selected have Baywatch bodies, long flowing hair, and perfectly made-up faces. Each model, or player as it may be, comes complete with photo shoot-style pictures that can be enlarged so you can get a closer look. It’s like Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition for free.
What really upsets me about this whole thing, though, is the fact that making any sports league into a bikini league just further demeans women’s sports. Women’s professional and college sports have enough trouble getting airtime, and typically draw less of an audience than the male sports do, and this stems from a long-held belief that women aren’t as good at playing sports as men are. We tend to believe that women’s sports games are slower and therefore boring. The fact that Eskridge has added bikinis to the mix just tells the public that they’re right: women’s sports are, in fact, boring, and the only way to make them better is to have the women take off their clothes, and then play.
Women’s sports aren’t boring. Women play with incredible skill and physical ability, and they don’t need to be bikini-clad to do it.
Related Stories:
The Pretty Side of Sports: Women’s World Cup
Read more: bikini, bikini hockey league, body image, hockey, inline hockey, reality television, womens sports
Photo Credit: kenhodge13
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
Recent Comments from Causes
bloody men
I didn't get to read all the comments but its interesting reading about people's opinion about androgen…
Since you tend to skip over things, let me repeat that: I don't believe in god, so I blame humans…
meet our writers
99 comments
+ add your ownHey! I resent the phrase: when was the last time you saw a hockey player with all of his teeth?
I was a (female) hockey goal tender for 2 seasons, and I still have ALL my teeth!!!
Who says hockey is too dangerous for women?!?!? Look at US and Canada Women Hockey teams! Beautiful, strong and intelligent women!
(sorry for the rant) that being said, I would NEVER go in-line skating, much less play in-line hockey in a bikini: imagine the potential for abrasions!!!
I have a sugestion for people who want to show women in a bikin doing an exciting sport like hockey: under-water hockey. It is played with short, hand-held sticks that the players use to shove around a heavy puck at the bottom of a pool. It demands a lot of coordination from the team, since obviously not all of the team members can go up for air at the same time. The moves the players make are graceful and fun to watch. The sport isn't for everyone (obviously) and there needs to be serious Lifeguards around the pool, but I think trained athletes (men AND women) could give a good show playing underwater hockey, without the dangerous side of tripping and skidding across ashphalt in a bikini.
Underwater hockey has been played around my city for over 20 years, without any serious accident.
You are certainly entitled to your opinion, just think if you don't like it you don't have to do it or even watch it. The best part about all of this is, those that do, CAN. Believe that's called DEMOCRACY!
Last time I checked there was no Commandment which said: "Thou shalt not titillate!"
If women have it they should flaunt it. They are not "hurting" anybody else, they not "forcing"
anybody to watch so there is no exploitation here and definitely no slavery. The definition of
slavery is NUNS, forced to WORK a lifetime with NO SEX, NO MONEY, CLEANING BEDPANS, TEACHING ROWDY BRATS, SERVING, SERVING and SERVING SOME MORE. If playing hockey in bikinis is titillating to men, that's not the women's fault. Titillation is in the eye of the beholder, blame the horn dogs for that. Once again, like all these other issues, the VICTIM is being blamed. It's up to the MEN to get a grip on their weiners, not the women to dress differently. Women have the right to dress any way that
makes THEM happy. If men don't like it they don't have to watch. They can get out their
prayer rug and bow down six times a day with their butts in the air.
The world is really getting dumbed down particularly by the media. Reality TV is cheaper to produce, no highly paid stars & no need for an intelligent script. I'll take Masterpiece theatre any day over this crap. TV panders to its audience which really is not too bright these days. Now people are lazy & expect their entertainment to be pre-chewed for them like instant computer info & microwave meals & good entertainment that makes them think hurts their wee brains. Look at what's on in movies, car chases, sex & explosions. God forbid a movie comes out with any class because it goes nowhere. People can't understand real comedy or drama. Actors can't make a decent living but "movie stars" who can't act their way out of a paper bag are filthy rich in spite of the crap they produce. I'll take foreign movies over most Hollywood garbage any day & Daniel Day Lewis or Colin Firth over Tom Cruise & his type.
TV every weekend is all sports becuse the guys want it & soap operas in the week for the stay at home house fraus. Stereotyping much?
If women chose to participate they obviously have better bods than mine but I think that women who perpetuate the semi naked female paradigm are demeaning other women because they are using their bodies instead of their brains and initiative. They also make some women feel insecure because they feel they have to starve themselves and gob on makeup to feel "normal" and accepted. Screw that.
If this is such a bad thing why are so many women stepping up to the plate to participate? Are they forced to do this? Looks like free choice to me. And I do like the comment about the men's jock strap league! Perhaps an All-Star playoff each year.
Disappointing, thought the men on this site would be slightly more enlightened. Glad the hear all the women have nice long hair for you to drag them back to your caves...
How about a men's jockey strap league?
PEOPLE HAVE REALLY NOTHING ELSE TO WORRY ABOUT???
STORM IN A TEA CUP!
login to add your comment
use your care2 login
add your comment