Apparently, they’re revealing the cover girl tomorrow morning. I assume the full portfolio of pictures will follow, right? They wouldn’t make us wait until Wednesday to see what’s inside, I hope… Anyway, they’re calling it “a cover reveal moment for the ages.”
No idea what that might mean.
I will point out that after my post a couple weeks ago in which I said I’d welcome Paulina back, she’s actually coming back. At least in some capacity. She’s one of the models in the “In Her Own Words” … um, section? movement? feature?
Well, let’s let SI describe it:
In Her Own Words is a continuation and evolution of the essence of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. It is a platform that allows the voice, the strength and the passion of these women to be expressed in the rawest form…on the naked body…with all the artistic and creative control left to them.
Paulina, along with Robyn, Sailor, and I think a few other models, poses naked with descriptive words written on her in capital block letters.
I don’t know. I have many thoughts.
I am all about #MeToo. I am all about #TimesUp. Several SI models past and present have shared some awful stories about the trials they go through in this industry. It’s heartbreaking.
I think I’ve been up front on this blog about seeing these women as human beings. One of the delightful things about the swimsuit issue, for me, is that these beautiful women like doing this. I’ve talked before about the wonderful “permission” we the viewers are granted to look at them. Not to get too dramatic, but they’re sharing their bodies with us.
But “In Her Own Words” looks kind of like a thrown-together college art installation project.
In fact, it’s superficially very similar to #SignedByTrump, which actually WAS a college art project, and gained its power by writing some awful Trump statements on the bodies of women.
The Dixie Chicks’ Entertainment Weekly cover was similar. Part of the power was that the phrases written on the band’s bodies were both “pro” and “con,” praise and condemnation mixing to complete a complex picture.
But the swimsuit girls… They just have these milquetoast positive things painted on them. In capital block letters.
(I mean, this magazine has had the benefit of Joanne Gair for almost two decades, and they’re using capital block letters.)
It seems hastily assembled, and it’s therefore kind of a microcosm of SI Swim’s hastily assembled mission of progressiveness.
I guess I’m all about the message of strength and positivity. But the venue is weird.
The swimsuit issue has been a flirty, safe-for-the-coffee-table girlie magazine for so long that I think most of the anger against it has died down. I get the feeling that it’s not seen as much of a threat anymore, even by those who object to it. So it’s been able to flourish as a little cove of unashamed cheesecake.
Social issues seem a little over its head. It’s like watching a beloved, corny sitcom try to tackle Israel/Palestine.
And I say this knowing that there’s a much darker backlash out there. If you have had the misfortune of reading some of the comments on SI Swim’s Facebook page, you’ll see no shortage of cruel insults and disgusting lewdness aimed at the models. One guy made it his mission a few days ago to lambaste Kate Upton for speaking up as part of #MeToo. Many, many idiots have the opinion that, if you pose in a bikini, you don’t have a leg to stand on in asserting your right not to be groped against your will.
So, I’m trying to make it clear that I am NOT on that side. And maybe that’s the thing. I think this venture is a little weird, or weak, or tone deaf. But I don’t want to align myself with those who have a knee-jerk, violent reaction to it. So I guess I’m just observing to see where it goes.
Maybe the value will be allowing these models whom I’ve idolized for so long to share something communally. Maybe it will be a step in shedding light on the creepier corners of the industry. Higher visibility. Bigger names speaking out in bigger venues.
And maybe, just maybe, this cove of unashamed cheesecake has been waiting for a sea change.
Anyway. The issue comes out tomorrow. A million thinkpieces to follow.
See you there.
2 comments:
Writing before the issue released, I wish I could be more excited this year. I know all of SI is probably in trouble, with the sale of Time Inc to a publisher that has zero history or interest in sports, afaik. I get why the magazine is pretty obviously changing it's focus to an audience of women, but to me it feels like everything about the pre-release publicity for this issue has been about the causes. And without sounding like one of the a-holes on the message boards that think MJ should be fired and the sky is falling, I do miss the days when the issue was about stunning and creative pics. I know the era of Jule is never coming back, but doesn't mean I don't miss it.
The preview animation on instagram also has me bummed because I kept holding out hope there was a unknown shoot they had kept secret, aside from the athletes' shoot. Not to jump in on one of your annual posts, but the level of talent missing this year is astounding. Between pregnancies and whatever other reason people drop out, I don't ever remember a mass exodus like this year.
But I'll still be hopeful the cover is a great image and there are good pics inside the issue. Fingers crossed. But at least there's Paulina!
Yes, I know what you mean. It does seem in flux over there, and I think the franchise is trying to find its footing. For whatever reason, they don't seem to have faith in the way things have been done in the past, so there's this personality crisis.
Pretty girl + bikini + beach seems like a simple and winning formula, but I'm not in the thick of it.
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