Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

‘Hottest Olympic dudes’? ‘Ab appeal’? It’s objectification when it’s about women. What about men?

Tonga

Matt Slocum / AP

Pita Nikolas Aufatofua carries the flag of Tonga during the opening ceremony for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Aug. 5, 2016.

Since the Rio Olympics commenced Friday with the “sexiest” Opening Ceremonies ever, NBC and its commentators have uttered some not-so-gender-equal observations.

For every headline like this: “The Media’s Olympics Coverage Reminds Us Just How Taxing It Is to Be a Female Athlete,” there is one like this: “Your Guide to Gratuitous Male Objectification at the Olympics.”

One decries the way analysts focus on the appearance of female Olympians, not their athletic accomplishments. The other features a slideshow of mostly shirtless, nearly naked men, with an invitation to “Come, join us on the official horndog tour of Rio.”

So why is it taboo to objectify the fiercest female athletes on Earth, but acceptable to do the same to men?

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