Sports

Sexist Daily Mail Tells Female Olympic Volleyball Players To ‘Get A Room’

Throughout the 2012 summer games, the Emotions Police have been in full effect. First, U.S. gymnast Jordyn Wieber’s misty-eyed disappointment enjoyed near-obsessive coverage (and Slate delightfully skewered the absurd media scrutiny over her tears). In another instance, the Guardian declared that “weeping not winning has been the order of the day around the pool,” for some female swimmers.

It’s no wonder then that the Devil’s Gazette Daily Mail ran its own critical story on women’s beach volleyball players and their celebratory rituals today. And it was ugly.

“In what one can only assume is an attempt to garner more support from the audience, players could not seem to keep their hands off each other,” explains the outrageously sexist story, seasoned with more than a dash of gay panic. Women… touching each other. The DM is scandalized!

The piece argues these world-class athletes’ physical displays of comfort and/or celebration extend “way beyond the typical hug” and singles out “Spain’s Elsa Baquerizo McMillan [who] was the worst culprit, adjusting her bikini briefs in full view of the crowd.” The nerve.

The Daily Mail’s then wonders whether these athletes are purposefully sexing up the sport for financial advantage:

As competitors’ kit consists of little more than a bikini, the sport already enjoys a large male following. By harnessing this, the players are likely all too award [sic] that they can generate enough of a fan base to win them lucrative endorsement deals once the Games are over.

Indeed, today’s beach volleyball players weren’t alone. Yesterday Russian Anna Vozakova appeared to be getting a little too friendly when hugging her teammate Anastasia Vasina.

Yes, the players are well-”award” of their own sexuality, which is why they take time out of the biggest moment of their lives to embrace each other in moments of pure, unadulterated celebration… sexily.

After all, only a sexy, feminine, homoerotic sport like women’s beach volleyball would involve teammates slapping each other on the behind, right?

TAGS: 2012 olympics | olympics and women

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