Yes, we do. I believe people can do what they want as long as it doesn't effect others. You believe that you know better than everyone else and strive to suck the fun out of everything.

Awww! That was harsh, man.

Think you'e replying to the wrong person? I'm all for keeping the podium girls based on tradition and I like looking at them.

Sorry, not at you directly. And I'm not really advocating for them or not, just pointing out that it might be silly to be making this some kind of women's right argument. It could just be a simple business decision thrown onto the back of some murky #metoo theme, or something to that affect. Society is very touchy at the moment, and their seems to be a big pendulum swing going fast towards real and/or perceived grievances against women as objects. I'm just wondering it we are going to get rid of an entire industry which employs such women.

What would be cool is to have interesting or people of notability from the area take the podium girls' places in each location. Would be cool to learn something about what's going on there and maybe some good human interest stories.

They are the ten plus other people on the podium that the winners used to shake hands with after the kiss from the girls

so i'm from france and this kissing thing is a cultural thing.
in the morning, boys shake hands with each other, boys kiss girls, girls kiss girls. you go to a high school in the morning, and you see the show.
now that you mention it, i've never ever thought about the using lips or not. it's just a peck. you dont do it and you offend people. nothing sexual at all.

that said, why those women on the TdF podium? very good question. it's like models at car shows or cheerleaders on the football field. it's indeed time to end this....if the girls/women want to end it.

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Kiwami North America
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Great idea, drop them all and use their budget to pay the next few athletes down the line who were out of the prize pool.

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Vinnie Santana, Multisport Coach
http://www.ironguides.net
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Clearly you're view is that it's about the podium girls themselves being exploited. I really don't think that's what concerns most people. Certainly not me. The job is there, some will take it. It may be enjoyable, lucrative, provide opportunities, whatever..... that's not the point.
The point is the reason for the job to exist and how it reflects on, and influences society.
Pose women in roles where they are there as nothing but "eye candy" and you're reinforcing the idea that this is what women are good for and that it's legitimate to expect women to make themselves attractive and subservient. From that perspective it doesn't matter whether the women concerned are exploited, well paid, love the job, or otherwise..... it matters what role they play and how it's perceived. Their well-being is important. Healthy society is more important.

It happens in advertisement, tv, movies, your news and weather reader, you name it generally attractive people 'eye candy'. People are entitled to their views and good on them but it's hardly contributing to an unhealthy society, nothing changes and the world getting too PC for me.

So your rationale is that it happens everywhere and therefore there's no point addressing it?
I'm glad we don't all take your position or nothing would ever change.

How do you justify the statement that it's "hardly contributing to an unhealthy society"? Do you really think it has no effect? If that were true it wouldn't be done in the first place. It does have an effect, that's why ads, TV, movies, focus so much effort on sexualised images - they hugely influence the ability to sell stuff because they massively effect us.

Seems to me you're just turning a blind eye and saying it's not your problem. As far as I'm concerned, "PC" is saying something because it's the done thing. Saying or doing something because you think it's right isn't "PC", it's being a decent human being with integrity. Sure, there's some "PC" nonsense, but don't use that as an excuse to turn a blind eye when on closer examination you may find a real problem.

LOL really? I like looking at podium girls.

Of course you do.
That doesn't mean I agree they should be there.

People like having slaves, smoking, eating vast quantities of high sugar/salt/fat foods, owning guns, and taking recreational drugs. That doesn't make these things harmless.

Someone needs to give you a cape.

See now you're not even making an argument. Just being ignorant.

Go on, explain what that comment means....

You're getting too heavy for me to really debate on a triathlon forum and nor do I care to after work. Get a cape refers to go and make a difference in the real world then rather than tap away on a keyboard to someone as ignorant as me.

You don't seem to think beyond the podium steps on this one. The use of podium women objectifies all women which in turn reinforces men's perceived dominance over women and in the end makes all women less safe on the streets.

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808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
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You don't seem to think beyond the podium steps on this one. The use of podium women objectifies all women which in turn reinforces men's perceived dominance over women and in the end makes all women less safe on the streets.


Ive been married LONG time and I can tell you I'm a figure head not the king of the castle.

Too heavy? Emmm, okay. Not sure how to sugar coat it for you.

As for making a difference in the real world..... I'm doing what I wanted to do, discussing the topic and trying to persuade others who seem to be missing the point, that they should support change. If this is not real, I fail to understand why. Are you real?
The whole point is changing attitudes. That's typically best accomplished by example and sometimes, with luck, through discussion. Getting purely cosmetic girls off podiums is about addressing the example issue. I'm discussing it. What am I missing?

.......and don't you think you might be the one that's confused when you think capes describe reality?
That would be super-hero comics and movies, no? Grown up's sometimes try thinking and talking......

With all of the real world problems we have it's crazy how much time is spent protecting those who may or may not be offended from something that's harmless. Podium girls are one of many of these topics.

It's not about being offended. It's about how women are perceived and treated in society. If you can't see the connection between women being accepted as nothing more than cosmetic adornments in public arenas such as major sporting events, and social discrimination, that's stunning!

If you are going to have a discussion with someone like Ai_1 who is making an intellectual discussion, then it's not about him or you, it is about the topic at hand. Trust me, I love looking at the podium girls over Nairo Quintana....but just because I'd rather look at those two woman than Nairo in the middle of the sandwich being kissed, it does not make it right for them to be there in the first place. Me liking the eye candy showcase is not a logical reason to keep perpetuating these women as some kind of "prize" for men who performed is a bike race. As I mentioned elsewhere in the thread, it would be like having employee of the month at a company on Wall Street or Silicon Valley and that person going up to get their prize from the CEO and getting kissed by some podium girls that the CEO hired to give out the prize...now how stupid would that be? It would be totally unacceptable.

Values in society change over time. The ASO did the right thing by moving on from this old tradition, that was not adding any value to the image of women's position and implied value in society.

It's OK for a corporation to cut jobs when corporate strategy/mandate changes. This is what has been done. I don't think we have to worry for these models. They will find other jobs where they can apply their genetic lottery winnings. Its just not going to be at the TdF.

You find anyone that doesn't fall in line with your opinions as stunning.

Nope. I'm quite used to that.

Want to address my actual point now? Or were you just planning to obfuscate?

It's been addressed in previous threads, no need to rehash it. You can look back if you care to.