Is Sports Illustrated’s latest cover sexist?

Sports Illustrated has long been known as one of the premiere magazines for sports photography, but its latest cover has landed the weekly in hot water. The cover photo for the February 8th issue, showing Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn in her racing suit, bent over with ski poles in her hand, has drawn outrage for what many people believe is a sexist portrayal of women.

Critics are claiming the stylized photo (seen above) actually objectifies Vonn sexually rather than focusing on her athletic talents. They claim she has been put into a sexually suggestive pose, and that this is one of the only ways women ever get onto covers.

Many believe the photo just shows Vonn in her regular skiing position, but others think the image is laced with sexual suggestion. “For those of you who follow SI Covers,” say the folks at womentalksports.com, “know that female athletes are rarely featured on the cover. Over the last 60 years researchers have shown that about four-percent of all SI covers have portrayed women.

“When females are featured on the cover of SI, they are more likely than not to be in sexualized poses and not in action, and the most recent Vonn cover is no exception.”

Regardless of your opinion on the SI cover photo of Vonn, it may be easier to agree that photography of women in sports walks a fine line. As athletes and figures in the public spotlight, their bodies are on display just as much as men. However, when sexuality and beauty are portrayed as their defining characteristics (as is arguably the case with Vonn), what was at first just photography threatens to slip into exploitation.