All
  • All
  • Products
  • Articles
  • Videos
  • Galleries
  • Conversations
  • Social

Controversial Photo of Olympic Skier Lindsey Vonn on the Cover of Sports Illustrated

Lindsey Vonn's SI Cover: OMG or No Biggie?

by 61

It must feel pretty good to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated next to the headline "America's Best Woman Skier Ever." But the buzz about this photo of Vancouver lady Lindsey Vonn concerns the way she's posing. As Women Talk Sports points out, SI rarely features female athletes on its cover, and often, they're shown in sexualized poses. Of course, you could argue that Vonn's pose isn't sexual at all but merely the stance of a skier. What's your take on this image?

PollSkiingWinter SportsAthletesFitness GearSkier2010 OlympicsLindsey Vonn

61 Comments

Nobody made the comment either that maybe just MAYBE she is a sexual person (as many people are). By that I mean, she is proud of her body and what she's accomplished and it could also be a retaliation to that coach. Frankly I think the pose could be construed as sexual but its no big deal. She's 25 and can make her own decisions. Maybe she thinks its fine that men think she's hot. Lots of the women making a big deal out of this probably don't look like her either. . .
show me one Olympic skier that isn't in this stance going down a hill and i'll give u a million dollars
betty kraker betty kraker
i thought she looked like she should i didn't see anything wrong with the pose
This is how skiers look when they are skiing, albeit without the hair down typically. SI had almost the same cover in 1992 but with a male skier. I think she is a beautiful, strong woman and there is nothing wrong with celebrating that.
lilkimbo lilkimbo
I think she looks fine and I don't think it's sexualized. And, I'm a pretty intelligent person, so it's not because I'm not smart enough to see it, as some people have suggested (or flat out stated). For those who say they would have preferred an action shot, are you frequent SI readers? They don't often use action shots on the cover (of men or women). They don't grab your attention on the newstand the way posed shots do.
....and the SI Cover Jinx continues!
TiVo TiVo
I agree with the post above me. If it were an action shot, it'd be cool, but having her pose like that was cruel. I doubt she realized how it would appear at the time. Oh well... one more way a man duped a woman... life goes on.
actually, it's pretty simple. why use a posed shot instead of an action shot?
DivaDivine DivaDivine
If it was Bode Miller, I'd be thinking the same thing: "looks like he's taking a dump." Frankly, I don't see how this is sexualized. When she's whooshing down the slopes at the Olympics, should they put a Parental Advisory rating? Give me a break!
leens824 leens824
I had the same thought as Kia. It wasn't that long ago that the Austrian coach accused her of having an unfair advantage because she's "heavier". And her rebuttal to the accusation was priceless. So for any female athlete to take that in such a good stride and go for an SI cover - Good For Her! And yes, I do think it is a shame SI does not have more female athletes on their covers. And I agree that the standard SI cover tends to be sexualized in the intention. However, I don't agree with that in this case. I thought the cover shot was good, clearly emphasizing her IN the frame of her sport (even though she isn't wearing her goggles and helmet). It was still a cover: there has to be an attractive face to identify with, and that applies with the male athletes that have been featured on the cover as well. Why not make her the face of American ski racing? She is talented, healthy, driven and gorgeous. A pretty great role model if you ask me.
Asche Asche
She speaks German really well, with a very small accent.
PiNkY PiNk PiNkY PiNk
I agree with jazzytummy. I don't think anyone who sees it as a sexual pose is perverted, that's what the intention of it is.. So I guess we're smart that we actually got it.
jazzytummy jazzytummy
The picture is just stupid. SI is obviously going to have her bent over to appeal to the men who read the magazine. Gimme a break...if it was a real "action" shot of her skiing "in position", she wouldn't have a big grin on her make-up covered goggleless face, turned to the camera not looking where she is going. If they really wanted to honor her athleticism, they would have actually shot her skiing a tough run and put that on the cover, not some photoshopped picture of her with her ass in the air, smiling for the camera. But, whatever sells.
evaslucky evaslucky
what I think is sad is that we, the women, are making such a big freakin fuss about it and honestly it is a ski position. it's a graphically cool shot and it makes me wonder, whatever position that had her pose in, would everyone be up in arms because the girl is pretty? she's not half naked, or close to it and HELLO when you're moving quickly downhill and towards your goal, on skies this is how you look. everyone needs to turn off their perverted minds and get back to their lives. go Lindsey, grab your gold!
kia kia
Ha ha ha. I don't think people know what to make of this phenom. Wasn't some opposing coach accusing her of being too heavy, thus having an unfair advantage in her sport a month ago. So what is she.. a cow or a bombshell? Go Lindsey, take the gold and then let's see what people have to say about your then.
lifeloveandlattes lifeloveandlattes
It did not occur to me that this could be construed as sexual, but then again, I'm not a man. So I asked my boyfriend... He didn't think it was sexual either. Lindsey is a skier, and this is the stance she takes when skiing. The only skin she's showing is the skin on her face. And she's SMILING, not pouting seductively. I think women just love any excuse to attack SI for objectifying women.
TADOW TADOW
My first time seeing it I didn't think anything other than, "Hmm, I didn't know they made ski outfits like that". I guess it can be sexual, and I'm sure its intentional that its suggestive of sexuality, but I really don't care one way or the other. It's not done in bad taste, in my opinion and she's grown so....
lilxmissxmolly lilxmissxmolly
Please - people need to a grow a thicker skin and find an actual problem to be up in arms. How can people seriously be offended by this?
I really do not think that I would have given the supposed sexualization of this picture any thought whatsoever had I not read headlines decrying it first. I think my only reaction would have been "Lindsey Vonn! Cool!"
Ever see kids racing at the mountain wearing sweat pants and boardshorts over their race suits? This is normal attire and embarrassing for everyone equally. If she wants to flaunt them quads, I say go for it.
MandeeLei MandeeLei
I think you can make almost anything sexual if you really try. I'm not saying the pose is the most modest in the world but it's a magazine that is known for being a bit sexy. Move on.
fuzzles fuzzles
mtn girl-- No disrespect, but Lindsey comes from Minnesota stock. *snapping c-spenders proudly* And yes, go Lindsey!!! :D
mtn girl mtn girl
Really? It's a picture of an amazing athlete in a ski pose on the cover of a sports magazine......there is nothing overtly sexy about it. Being from Vail myself, we are just proud of our hometown girl.....go Lindsey!!!! Those critics are just jealous.
SI knew exactly what they were doing. Think about it: our society "reads" everything from left to right, whether it's the printed word or just an image. Doing so, what is the first thing you notice about her?
KrisB KrisB
The cover is fine but SI knew what they were doing. I had to look for her face where her but is smack in the middle of the magazine title. Its a men's magazine what else do you expect.
Injuries Suffered From Playing Nintendo Wii
Have You Ever Injured Yourself Playing Wii?
Weight Gain and Work
Has Your Job Caused Weight Gain?