I can handle Sports Illustrated until about the time that their annual swimsuit edition hits the magazine racks. Then I find myself infuriated with the male race and their immediate desire to flip through pages and pages of scantily dressed women. It's "the way they were wired," but it's also a disgusting habit that our culture has become "okay" with. Lemme tell ya- I'm not okay with it. When I'm married, I don't want my husband flipping through it in bed at night or in the bathroom. I don't want it to be "okay" for my son to ogle over a woman's God-given parts of her body. I don't want him to grow up in a society that's constantly egging him on to "get laid," or "ask her out."
A quick Google search will show that Sports Illustrated is mostly Google-d for their swimsuit shenanigans.
Let's look through the evolution of Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Edition cover shot...
1965:
Beautifully modest. Magical woman parts are covered. Nice smile.
And the headline is "Sport and Sun."
1990:
Now we've broken into the era of two-pieces. Less modest than 1965, but not too shabby, right? Oh, just you wait.
1995:
Whoa! There's some suggestive posing... a lot of hip.. and a little more cleavage.
Hair is wet. Facial expression also suggestive.
But wait, there's more.
2003:
Quite a jump in three years, eh? She's now untying her bottoms, with bare coverage in her top area, and she's now glistening with water? oil? Who knows.
2012:
2012 and we're advertising the number of models that are in the issue and.... body paint?
If you ignore the massive amount of photoshopping done in this photo (because she honestly looks like a Barbie doll), and all of the intense side boob, then you may recognize that this is Kate Upton.
Take note: no more mention of "sports."
It's all about the number of rookies now.
2015:
Three years later and she's practically undressing herself for the camera. Remind me what this has to do with sports? Isn't this just Playboy 2.0?
2016:
Oh, great. Now she's not even wearing a top. Fantastic.
Women are beautiful. I'm all about individuality and expression. But really? You need to cover your nipples with one hand? They do make clothes for that, you know.
It's disgusting, really. I can't fathom why anyone in their right mind thinks buying this is morally okay. I'm grossed out just by writing this article. (You have no idea the kind of trash I had to sort through in a Google image search.)
You may not agree with me, but food for thought, eh?