It's reported that three time US Olympian swimmer, Amanda Beard, will pose naked for Playboy. In an article by Fox Sports writer Michael Rosenberg entitled "The naked truth: Beard not hurting sports", he examines why Beard is not exactly hurting sports, but is basically just cashing in on her good looks and fame. Rosenberg points out that almost all famous female athletes have climbed to the top of their industry by being attractive, and as he puts it, Beard's "not exchanging her athletic fame for the fame of a model -- her athletic fame is the fame of a model". Why not just go all the way with Playboy when she's already posed practically naked for FHM and Sports Illustrated?
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Rosenberg goes on to discuss how Amanda Beard isn't exactly famous for her Olympic medals, and that's she's famous not for being a swimmer, but an attractive swimmer. While Rosenberg's tone gives the impression that he doesn't exactly think the fact that having "good looks" is "pretty much" a "prerequisite for female athletes to become famous" is just, he certainly doesn't condone Beard for just "going with the flow" and giving into the stereotypical path that female athletes must go down to get paid more, and have a higher profile.
Of course Amanda Beard posing naked for Playboy isn't hurting sports. Why would it? A hot, naked, female Olympian is exactly what "sports" want. "Sports" is an industry, and sex sells. Men will pay more attention to swimming just to get a glimpse of a next-to-naked Beard, and women will watch to love or hate on her - thus both Beard and the sports industry making more money.
I think that Amanda Beard is simply hurting the women in sports. By using her sex appeal and naked body, she's getting more money, and becoming more and more famous. You'd think she might be worried about not being taken seriously as an athlete. You'd think that perhaps she might care about being a role model, and good example for all the of the young girls out there that dream of gold medals. An example that "hey, you don't have to be hot and naked for the world to pay attention to you". But, whether she's grown tired of trying to be famous for her breast stroke, instead of just her breasts, or she thinks any publicity is good publicity, she's chosen to just give into the stereotyping and the double-standards for male, and female athletes. You're not hurting sports, Amanda. You're hurting women. [Source]
I'm here wanting to look at some nudity caus I am one horny bastard!!