Sport

One interesting thing about the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics is how, to this day and age, women are still regarded as second-class citizens and are often times objectified. It is sad as this still happens even in the most progressive and liberal countries. It is a relative fact that sports greatly involves and, to a certain extent, promotes the marginalization of genders (Lecture Notes, 2010). That is why we have the mens and womens events and both genders cannot compete against each other in big sporting events like the Olympics, or in any sport in general. What raised eyebrows were the commentators calling the adult female athletes girls rather than women. I believe the commentators should have practiced a bit of professional courtesy towards the athletes and not tag them as if they were toddlers playing in the school yard. After all, these are professional athletes who have worked and trained hard to be in the world stage. They deserve all the respect and better treatment from their peers. Media personnel should realize that they bear responsibility of the thoughts, ideas, and words broadcasted in the airwaves.

Moreover, news came out about a couple of competing female skaters featured in a swimsuit magazine. According to an online article by Alison Korn (2010), The Olympics are the one time when female athletes get comparable attention to their male counterparts and yet, too much of it focuses on hotness.  To the unsuspecting mind, this might just be a harmless marketing ploy to attract attention and generate more ticket sales and sponsorships, considering that the Winter Games receive less fanfare and coverage compared to the Summer Games. But what bothers me is the ready action of corporate media to banner skimpily dressed athletes to promote the games.  I am sure men athletes had their share of the promotional chores but I am quite sure it was far less provocative or exploitative compared to the womens.

In an important platform like the Olympics, the focus should not only be on competition and winning. The world as it is today is divided and theres no better way to bridge social and cultural gaps than all the people involved treating each other with dignity, respect, and equality.