Dear Aimee,
What are the Olympics teaching our children? I hope good sportsmanship and that hard work can produce a championship outcome, but as we sit and watch, sometimes it seems that’s not always the case. What’s your opinion about this summer’s Olympic viewing?
I love the Olympics. It’s such a great bonding time. The family gathers in the den and cheers their country on towards the gold. Historically, it’s been a good clean form of entertainment the whole family can enjoy. However, for the first time this year, I have noticed something that makes me scratch my head. In fact it has prompted me to think about changing the name of my column to something more sensual, maybe using the word bikini. There was a time I actually did change the name of a page on my blog from My Book Picks to My Guilty Pleasures. I was just trying to be clever and create more clickable titles. Well, it worked. Looking back, I now see the reason for the 400% spike in views on that page. It was sensual and promised more revelations than my favorite summer reads. I laugh picturing the disappointment of someone clicking on Guilty Pleasures only to find my review of the latest Christian Fiction Romance title. I quickly realized the implication and changed it back. I’m not seriously thinking of changing the column title, but the truth is sensuality sells. This idea seems to be seeping not only into our movies, shows, and commercials, but is it possible the Olympics are catching the fever too?
As I sat with my family late Saturday evening and tuned into our first viewing of the games, I was a bit taken back by the intro for the men’s gymnastic event. For a moment, it looked like a trailer for the new Magic Mike flick. The young male gymnasts were shirtless, tan, and posed. I’m not necessarily complaining, however it certainly made me unsure of where to rest my eyes without feeling a little scandalous. Perhaps I am the only mom that hovers her finger over the remote during prime time viewing just in case that scantily clad girl selling the mid-sized sedan pops up, but my three-year old daughter doesn’t need to think that parading around in her bathing suit is appropriate.
It will be interesting to watch the rest of the games and see if they really are trying to take a more sensual approach to their presentation. I know this was a departure from your question, and the sportsmanship aspect is a note-worthy topic and deserves a discussion of its own. I will keep a keen eye on that as my family enjoys the games, but I’m afraid some of the technical aspects of sports are lost on me. I tend to pay more attention to the theatrics and the uniforms. Did I ever mention I was more of a nail filer in my younger years?
The Daily Elk Citian, The Cordell Beacon, The Tuttle TImes_August 01, 2012
The Plain Wife by Aimee Jones 
Alright you caught my attention on this one. I have heard some other people talk about this and my thought is that there’s going to be more skin because, well, it is in the summer playing summer sports!
Besides, the human body is not something to be thought of as bad. These athletes are using their bodies beyond normal human range and are comfortable with being out there competing….they are not thinking of the attire as clothing, but a piece of equipment the are using and is serving them. I think to look on them other than to admire how they are performing is not looking at the sport and athlete and equipment correctly.
Just my two cents.
Hahaha! No prob. I’ll see your two cents and raise you a nickle, though. 🙂 I see your point and agree, but those diving speedos… they were off the charts! I know some marketing exec had a hand in those. (Figuratively speaking of course…that sounded bad. ;))
Hahaha….there is simply no way to respond to that! LOL