Feminism’s Unlikely Defender : The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit!
Millions of women across the globe and across timelines of history are not able to /have not been able to accept themselves. We struggle each single day of our lives, whether we admit it or not, to be “appealing”. This very ephemeral and ambiguous idea of ‘appealing’ is linked in ceaseless, relentless primordial coils of reassurance and affirmation from men. Such a phenomenon is primarily due to the conditioning and dominance by patriarchal, chauvinistic and androcentric world views accentuated by their actual manifestation. But an animal instinct cannot be ignored i.e., choosing the ‘right’ mate for perpetuation of the race. Simply put, there are rules and laws of attraction in/of the natural world which have a say in what constitutes ‘wanted’ or ‘desirable’.
Without going into a detailed discussion on feminism (which is not my focus here) it will suffice to state that feminists, besides their core beliefs and demands of equal rights, recognition, treatment, are vehemently opposed to the sexism which objectifies women. So the British–Somalian poet, Warsan Shire says “It’s not my responsibility to be beautiful. I’m not alive for that purpose. My existence is not about how desirable you find me.” Unfortunately, girls grow up looking at themselves and other girls as competitors for male attention. And a definitive ideal ‘standard’ or ‘bar’ is constituted to measure the ability to attract. As a corollary, girls are also taught that they cannot be sexual beings in the way that boys are without compromising this ability because dichotomously, the girl is also supposed to be ‘good’.
Since 1964, the “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue’ has been published annually by the American magazine “Sports Illustrated”. It features female models, celebrities and athletes in swimwear in various scenic locales globally. The highly competitive and coveted cover photograph is known to be the arbiter of supermodel succession.
The magazine was dominated by body perfectionism and racial seclusion. Only in 1997, Tyra Banks became the first black woman on the cover. But, the eulogising and glorifying a woman’s body according to mainly Western popular consensus continued –the majority still valued the aesthetics of a tall, delicately featured, slender-but-busty , small waist, perky derriere, endless legged woman. Feminists cried foul that the “Swimsuit Issue promotes the harmful and dehumanizing concept that women are a product for male consumption”.
In 2019, there was a major shift in the approach to femininity and desirability, in the magazine. In sync with the global paradigm shifts on diversity and inclusivity, as well as a fierce concern about nutrition ,health and fitness, the magazine opened up to tackling issues of body image, ageism and the ‘me too’ movement.
There was Tyra Banks, Camille Kostek and Alex Morgan with individual covers and another 31 women. The editor of the magazine MJ Day said “Between these three women and the 31 additional that grace SI Swimsuit 2019, the message is clear. Beauty is synonymous with a lot more than just a pretty face.” And if I might add, the perfect body or age. Tyra Banks is 45 years old while soccer athlete Alex Morgan stands for feminine strength and power—using her voice to fight for gender discrimination and equal pay. There was Paulina Porizkova, the oldest model at 52; Halima Aden, a Muslim model in a colorful ‘burqini”; Winnie Harlow, the Canadian fashion model, with the debilitating skin condition vitiligo; sportswomen like US soccer player Abby Dahlkemper, alpine skier Lindsey Vonn, and gymnast Simone Biles. Each of these women embodied what it means to shatter perceptions, using their bodies and platforms to dent sexism as well as retrogade androcentric perceptions and expectations.
Yes, it is extremely fitting that I should also talk about paralympic snowboarder Brenna Huckaby. The 22-year-old is the first amputee (due to cancer) to ever be featured in the coveted swimsuit issue in 2018.
Well, then the magazine was bought by men, right? Does it not signal a change in male perception and responsibility too? And very importantly, their support? Just a gentle reminder here that both the philosophers Plato and John Stuart Mill are considered to be the first men who took up the cause for women’s rights!
While there is no denying that a magazine like ‘Swimsuit Illustrated’’ deals in visual sexuality, it has done yeoman’s service to the feminist cause by promoting non-discrimination in desirability and smashing ‘ideal’ ( read: distorted & misogynistic) measurement bars of being appealing.
As to the fundamental question, whether such a magazine should exist, it’s a matter of personal opinion and choice. If women (rightly) insist that their brains and mind should be appreciated, then why not their bodies ? As Roxane Gay says in “ The Bad Feminist”: “I believe feminism is grounded in supporting the choices of women even if we wouldn’t make certain choices for ourselves…We don’t all have to believe in the same feminism. Feminism can be pluralistic so long as we respect the different feminisms we carry with us, so long as we give enough of a damn to try to minimize the fractures among us.”
Here’s to more power to the bikini! Here’s to more power to women! And, here’s to more power to the women and men who support them.
The Accidental Sufi
