Micro Bikinis and Body Paint – Thanks SI!
This year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue showed up in the mail this week, and there are tons of hot women in micro bikinis and body paint.
But with a preteen son and a teen daughter in this single dad’s house, is the SI Swimsuit issue the best idea?
Let me be clear – I don’t live in the Bible belt, and I’m not anti-sex, or anti-body. My kids and I lead healthy, active lifestyles that include trips to the beach with my daughter in a bikini and my son and I in board shorts. It’s the California lifestyle, and no big deal.
And for the most part, SI’s sexy models like Bar Refaeli have fit, healthy, active physiques. These aren’t underweight fashion models strutting down a catwalk.
But the poses some of these sexy women strike in their micro bikinis and body paint aren’t athletic, they’re alluring – and not something I see on a California beach. Anyone up for boogie boarding?
There are pics of topless models covering up. Sure, women go topless in Italy and France, and my daughter has visited those places. But these magazine models aren’t sunning themselves or reading a book. They’re simply looking hot. Pass the grapes!
There are micro bikinis so small, curves and body parts are busting out. Some could pass for lingerie (Bar Refaeli in a micro bikini) or jewelry (Jessica Gomes in gold chains). My daughter’s not wearing any of these bikinis, mainly because they aren’t very functional. Want to play paddle ball?
Don’t get me wrong – the body paint photos are exquisite. Forget the nude women (though, I admit, that’s hard to do) – some of the painted suits are gorgeous Old-World mosaics. True artistic masterpieces. Anyone want a snow cone?
I know my teen daughter will be a woman soon. And if she was closer to twenty, in college, and trying to capture the attention of a beer guzzling frat boy (or a straight-A microbiologist who spends too much time in the lab) – then by all means, strike a sexy pose.
But she’s sixteen. And as far as I know, she still wears both pieces of a non-micro bikini at the beach. She’s not getting mosaics painted on her nude ass anytime soon. Chips and salsa, anyone?
If I don’t want my teen daughter striking these poses now, why would I want my preteen son to get his rocks off drooling over the photos? I don’t want him to see women as objects. I’d rather he cultivate a healthy image of girls and women – by hanging out with his sister, a confident, smart, athletic girl who feels just fine in a swimsuit, and who doesn’t have to take off her bikini top and dangle it teasingly by a strap to get a boy’s attention.
So – what do I do with this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue? Hide it from them? Set it out on the coffee table? Hand it to my daugter and son, and have a chat?
I suppose I could just stick it in my bedside table for those nights when this single dad is sleeping alone. Doh! I’m kidding.
And actually, that’s kind of my point.
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Comment by SingleParentDad
| February 12th, 2009
Yep, you sure make some great points, which I’ll get to, right after I’ve clicked all the links to the pretty things decorated with shiny wotsits.
SingleParentDad´s last blog post..A Little Less Like Me Please
Comment by PhenomenalMama
| February 12th, 2009
You know, it’s hard enough to teach our young girls that it’s not all about how you look without boobs busting out all over the place. Geez. “Sure, honey, it’s important to be smart, but if you can’t, just flash some nipple. That’ll make it all better….”
PhenomenalMama´s last blog post..“You Are Loved”
Comment by Wendy
| February 12th, 2009
When my late daughter was in the second grade, I had taken a trip to St Martin. Later, as she looked through my photographs, she came across one that she wanted to take to school. It was a photo of some pretty landscaping, taken on the beach.
A week later, when she brought it back home, I was moritified to realize what was in front of that pretty landscaping were half naked women.
No “Mom of the Quarter” award that season.
Wendy´s last blog post..To use, or not to use?
Comment by Ambar
| February 12th, 2009
OH, the funny thing is that I just posted some of the pictures on the website I work on. I mean, the world can colapse (war, financial problems, DRC situation, etc…) but you just get 10.000 hits on those news, put a sexy girl in a bikiny and you will get 40, 50, even 100.000 in one single day!
what does that say about us?
By the way… Bar Rafaeli looks terribly good ;)
Comment by Cathouse Teri
| February 12th, 2009
I think it’s important to teach kids that a naked woman, or a woman in sexy lingerie or just in a skimpy suit striking a sexy pose is not dirty. And sex isn’t dirty. But I tried to teach my kids that it’s something that should be done privately for someone special. It is not to be flaunted in public for just any man to see. Then it not only loses its specialness (for both) but starts walking the fine line of being “dirty.” Sure, I like dirty as much as the next guy, but I save my dirtiness for my lover’s chamber. :)
Cathouse Teri´s last blog post..It’s Cold Out There But It’s Warm In Bed
Comment by T
| February 12th, 2009
This is one of my favorite posts… I love the SI Swimsuit issue. But I’ve ALWAYS loved women’s bodies, starting from years ago when I discovered my father’s stash of Playboy magazines. I didn’t see it as anything sexual but simply a woman feeling comfortable in her own skin. I didn’t think it ruined me (I’ll let YOU decide that!).
We, as adults, are the ones who assign such meaning to this stuff.
My daughters would LOVE to see this magazine. And I’d let them. I mean, they’re going to be out on the newsstands at Walmart anyway!
The body painting has ALWAYS been my favorite. Thanks DH!
T´s last blog post..455 days (and then some) Complete
Comment by Cathouse Teri
| February 12th, 2009
Incidentally, I looked at my father’s Playboy magazines, too. I did think the women’s bodies were gorgeous but I will say it affected me in one specific way. I learned to see women’s breasts as something used for sex. So I could not flip that thought over into using them to breastfeed babies. Not that this is something I felt was a wrong attitude. I was happy not to breastfeed. I’m just saying that I know the idea of breasts=sex came from exposure to that magazine.
Cathouse Teri´s last blog post..It’s Cold Out There But It’s Warm In Bed
Comment by katherine.
| February 12th, 2009
with the age of both your kids…and the way things are in our part of the world… the most important concept to get across is your attitude towards the photographs. Especially for your daughter. And why this layout is any different from the ones in other magazines.
Not just for your 16 year old daughter…but also how she will remember the-dating-dad-you later on…when she is 26 and 36…et cetera…
katherine.´s last blog post..wordless wednesday ~ flores encantadoras
Comment by Tyler @ Building Camelot
| February 12th, 2009
Oh great – now I’m on our IT’s black list for clicking all of those links…and I’ll have to do it again. What were you talking about again?
Tyler @ Building Camelot´s last blog post..Palentine’s – Give Your Bro A Manly Valentine’s
Comment by MindyMom
| February 12th, 2009
Yep, that’s a tough one. I tend to agree with Teri and T. If you do have it lying around I’m pretty sure your kids wouldn’t be surprised and it could also open up a discussion about a positive, healthy attitude about women and their sexuality.
MindyMom´s last blog post..More on the Ex & the Zoo
Comment by dadshouse
| February 12th, 2009
Bar Refaeli and all the other SI models are gorgeous in their bikinis, and in their body paint. (Sorry to get anyone in trouble with IT. Ha.)
I agree with T and Teri that the nude female figure is beautiful. My mom was an art teacher, and had art books around the house showing nude photos, paintings, sculptures. So it wasn’t dirty at all. But it also wasn’t sexual.
The problem with these swimsuits is that my daughter and son associate the beach with healthy activity – boogie boarding, surfing, paddle ball, etc. And while these models look quite healthy, you can’t do those activities dressed in a micro bikini or body paint.
Regarding breast as sex or food – I totally sexualized the breast growing up. Once my daughter was born and was nursing, I saw the breast as a milk giving machine. I’m past that now, it’s sexual again. That’s as it should be for a man who is dating, right Teri? (I have to admit, I’m more of an ass man)
Comment by Exception
| February 12th, 2009
I don’t know Dad’s, I was able to link to the issue through your post and through my company’s firewalls, so… they can’t be “that” bad! And I would think that they are quite functional depending on the use of each, no? ;)
Exception´s last blog post..Power and Passion
Comment by Cathouse Teri
| February 12th, 2009
Of course it’s as it should be! ;)
But I have never seen the breast as any such thing as a milk giving thing! Ugh! That is NOT for me.
Cathouse Teri´s last blog post..It’s Cold Out There But It’s Warm In Bed
Comment by QTMama
| February 12th, 2009
I’d not kick these chicks out of bed for eating crackers, I’ll tell you that much, DH.
QTMama´s last blog post..The Proverbial Blind Date
Comment by dadshouse
| February 12th, 2009
My click-thru traffic is through the roof today. I swear, everyone is clicking on every link.
Ah, the selfless services I provide to Dad’s House readers…
I’m still not sure how I’ll handle the magazine with my kids. Seems I should share it with them, and have a conversation. They’ll see it and hear about it at school, for sure.
Comment by Me Thinks
| February 12th, 2009
DM there’s an interesting art book called “Ways of Seeing” and they make a good point that you can compare and contrast porn to advertising to fine art. What matters is the context and the viewers perspective. So hopefully you can influence your kids to have the right perspective. Truth is women are objectified in this world and sex sells. But the difference between a magazine and real life is huge.
That said, these are some hot chicks! My biggest beef is that its “Sports” Illustrated, yeah, right. And MTV plays music…
Comment by Lance
| February 12th, 2009
I’m buying this issue TODAY.
Lance´s last blog post..Home Ownership is for Suckers
Comment by krn
| February 12th, 2009
I clicked a few, too. Who wouldn’t? The body paint pics are amazing. I bet they don’t want to wash that off right away. Those painted breasts are not for feeding, that’s for sure.
Comment by Canadian Bald Guy
| February 12th, 2009
Jeez…I don’t know if I should be feeling dirty or NORMAL to have clicked every one of those links.
I with the mindset that there is way too much emphasis on the “sexy is dirty” part. Ever since the infamous “Nipplegate” incident at the SuperBowl with Janet Jackson, America has clamped down on all things sexual.
The old saying “sex sells” is 100% accurate. And y’know what? I just don’t think it’s a bad thing when done properly.
Canadian Bald Guy´s last blog post..I finally did it.
Comment by ilinap
| February 12th, 2009
Here I am, 40 years old and feeling pretty good about myself. One look at those photos, and I feel inadequate, unattractive, flabby, and just not hot. It is my instant, innate reaction, regardless what my brain tells me. It seems that women just cannot win with this kind of body image crap and expectations floating around every which way we look.
ilinap´s last blog post..When Social Media Becomes a Social Cause: Twestival 09
Comment by Lance
| February 12th, 2009
I purchased this tonight. First magazine I’ve bought this year. It’s awesome.
Lance´s last blog post..Home Ownership is for Suckers
Comment by mama llama
| February 13th, 2009
I am with ilinap. It is hard to teach young people…and those my age…that no, such photos do not, in fact, affect a man’s perception of what most women will look like. I work out. I wear a bikini. And I have had two kids. My body isn’t perfect, but I know how long it took me to ever wear a bikini again since I was 22. It takes a lot of guts for me to not think that I, like every bikini-clad woman on the beach/at the pool, is being sized up to a false, photo-shopped, body-painted and otherwise enhanced ideal.
Be well, Dads.
mama llama´s last blog post..Flashback Friday