BlogHer - Hot Chicks in Centre Court with a side of Racism. Wimbledon, I am so Disappointed. - Comments

It's Just Like the Olympics

becksta — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:45:32 -0500

This reminds me exactly of the coverage of the Olympics last summer- every night, we were treated to beach volleyball for the basic reason that there were attractive young women in bikinis hugging each other every night.

The Wimbledon Committee Needs to Join this Century

Sarah — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:08:39 -0500

Thanks, Lisa.

It just makes me so angry that these women have all worked so hard to get where they are and even highly ranked ladies that are WINNING have to take a back seat to someone with bigger boobs and a shorter skirt.

When will we get beyond this?

BlogHer Contributing Editor, Sports and Fitness
Sarah and the Goon Squad
Draft Day Suit

Last Laugh Indeed

Sarah — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:00:40 -0500

Exactly.

BlogHer Contributing Editor, Sports and Fitness
Sarah and the Goon Squad
Draft Day Suit

Tennis Fixation

Sarah — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:00:06 -0500

Thanks Kim!

BlogHer Contributing Editor, Sports and Fitness
Sarah and the Goon Squad
Draft Day Suit

Why is this really no surprise?

kselz — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:43:46 -0500

How sad that I'm really not the least bit surprised that this is how decisions are made at Wimbledon and probably throughout the world of professional sports. I've been reading on this topic all morning - thanks for a great summary of the issue. I'm linking to your post on my blog - Tennis Fixation - since you say it much better than I could and I want to make sure my readers are aware of this.

Kim Selzman

Tennis Fixation

This is my Happy Fourth of July piece to email to folks

Lisa Stone — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:40:26 -0500

I gotta say, my blood runs red, white and blue when I see these women play tennis. I'm so proud of the Williams sisters. Deenation, you are right. These amazing women will and are having the last laugh. It's incredible what they've overcome -- and now they own the game.

I see this bias in every industry I've ever covered or worked. As the world's most powerful media consumers, American women can make a difference by calling attentino to this and protesting. Sarah, terrific piece of writing -- and that goes double for every wonderful link. Thanks for your leadership.

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

BlogHer is non-partisan but our bloggers aren't! Follow our coverage of Politics & News.

Last Laugh

Deenation — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:23:24 -0500

Those girls just keep on showing those crusty old dinosaurs.

I love it. It has been such a fight but these brilliant beautiful girls are more than up to it.

Screw the bastards.

CEOmum

"Unattractive" Williams Sisters

Sarah — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:02:24 -0500

And honestly, if those ladies are unattractive, I don't know what pretty means.

BlogHer Contributing Editor, Sports and Fitness
Sarah and the Goon Squad
Draft Day Suit

And Those "Unattractive" Williams Girls Keep Winning

Megan Smith — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:45:37 -0500

It does my heart good when I see those terribly "unattractive" Williams girls keep winning in spite of not getting the respect they deserve. Congratulations to 3 time champion, Serena Williams!

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/Online Video

Megan's Minute

Twists and turns on the tennis court

rebellious thinker — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 09:55:24 -0500

I don't watch tennis much anymore, since I escaped my parent's house and their obsession with watching tennis. What I find so interesting about this is that the Williams sisters were derided for their sexy outfits and their jewelry, and even their muscularity. How could you not want ot look at them? Now, it doesn't seem to matter since they will never fit the stereotype that too many men hold of what is beautiful. I guess "tennis whites" is still what people are looking for. For shame.

Laura, www.RebelliousThoughtsofaWoman.com

Hot Chicks in Centre Court with a side of Racism. Wimbledon, I am so Disappointed.

Sarah — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:17:48 -0500

Beauty before talent. That is such an ugly phrase. I think everyone knows that it works that way in Middle School; it should not work that way at Wimbledon.

Yet it does.

Beauty of a player is among the things taken into consideration when deciding on the court selection at Wimbledon and it has been confirmed by All England Club spokesperson Johnny Perkins.

"Good looks are a factor," said Perkins, and added
that court selection is "a great big mixture of where the players are
in the draw, who they're playing, what their ranking is".

- Women's Tennis Blog

Wimbledon of all places! Of all tournaments! Wimbledon who has equal payouts for male and female champions. Tennis, of all sports... women's tennis, who celebrated Billie Jean King for being able to beat Bobby Riggs because he was a man not because of her short skirts or her breasts or because she grunted like a porn star when she was playing a tennis match.

I am outraged. I know I should just let it go. The Wimbledon committee is probably going for television ratings and advertising revenue. I understand business, I understand that women's tennis isn't necessarily what people all over the world are choosing to watch this weekend.

Wimbledon promoters called it "The Battle of the Babes" when Victoria Azarenka, seeded 8th in the tournament, took on Cristea, seeded 28th, at Centre Court on Friday. The same day, second seed Serena Williams, undoubtedly one of the great players the sport has ever seen, was relegated to play her match on the No. 2 court.

The American superstar got lost on her way to the court and was 6 minutes late for her match.

Many
of the seats on Centre Court for the "Babe" match remained empty.
Die-hard tennis fans who came to the event seemed to know better -
which indicated the move had more to do with television ratings.

- Kate Nocera, New York Daily News

Maybe I am just shocked that they admitted it. Diane at Women Who Serve wasn't surprised at all. She says:

Some of you may have seen the Daily Mail feature, "Babe, set and match: Why looks count for more than talent when Wimbledon decides which girls will play on Centre Court."
The title of the story itself is sexist, since the majority of the
players are women, but one would not expect the British press to care
about that. It surprises me a bit that this story has gotten so much
attention...

Before I sat down to write this post I was talking to my mother-in-law about it. She was surprised, but then she brought up how beautiful and athletic the William's sisters were. I said "Yes, and they are also relegated to the second court because they aren't blonde haired and blue eyed."

So here are two beautiful superstars. Venus and Serena Williams faced each other last year in the Wimbledon finals and they will do so again. Yet Serena's match took a back seat to "The Battle of the Babes". And why?

Megan has a guess.

This is wrong it so many ways, where do I start? First of all, that
definition of attractiveness is the white, male All England Club's
definition. Venus and Serena Williams are some of the most gorgeous
ladies out on the court. But see, this is about being blonde and
leggy. If you're not blonde and leggy, you're not attractive. Never
have been, never will be....

- Megan's Minute

and so does Diane.

In other words, it came as no surprise to me at all to read about the
Centre Court selections; I find this news to be part and parcel of the
sexist culture of my nation and other nations that produce tennis
players, as well as the sexist culture of sports in general. As ugly as
the sexism is, however, there is more than sexism in play in these
selections. The "babes" selected to play on Centre Court--except in
situations in which the selections are default--like the "babes"
selected as the tour's hottest women on the Australian Open website,
have one thing in common--their skin color. Serena Williams is not a
babe. Li Na is not a babe. There are a lot of people, incidentally, who
think these two women are beautiful, but they do not qualify for "babe"
status. And while I realize that consideration of beauty is very
subjective, it is hardly a coincidence that African American and Asian
women do not ever appear on the list. The world's most beautiful
lesbian could be on the tour, too, and--if she were out--you can be
assured she would not be on the list, either.

- Sexism at Wimbledon - Not so Shocking

I agree with them.

It makes me sad. It makes me sick. Fortunately, for Wimbledon and for the WTA no matter who they put in the spotlight, the cream still rises and I will still be watching the Williams sisters battle it out. Even if the Wimbledon Committee would rather see Gisela Dulko play against Victoria Azarenka I can't wait to see Venus and Serena again. They are the best and that is why I will be tuning in to the finals.

Contributing Editor Sarah also blogs at Sarah and the Goon Squad, Draft Day Suit and MamaPop.