Anyone else want to write some letters?

[Starfish]

I've been irritated by something in Bicycling Magazine for awhile now. I've written a letter to them, but I find I'm still irritated, so I think I might expand my letter writing. I'd like to throw this out to TE...hoping that if a few more folks write, maybe something will change.

It is about the Liberator ads in the back of Bicycling Mag. I have no problem with the product, or that it is advertised in Bicycling. Heck, looks to me like they have some great stuff. BUT... I do have a problem with the soft-core-porn-like pics of women they use in their ads. They used to place their ads with pics of the products only, but not anymore.

The main reason I object is that I am trying to promote self-esteem and cycling to some of the pre-teen and teenage girls I know. I want to be able to hand them a bicycling magazine without having to see a woman in a Penthouse style pose. This month it was a butt shot of a woman in 5" platform FM shoes.

I am going to write to Liberator, and Bicycling again, and this time I'm cc'ing all the other major advertisers in Bicycling to let them know I won't support a magazine -- or see their advertising if they're in that magazine -- that supports such stupid advertising images.

Wanted to spread the word so that maybe mine won't be the only letter they all get.

Thanks for reading!

[boy in a kilt]

I tried that back when the men's specific saddles were becoming vogue. I hope you have better results than I did.

Specialized had one that said "Hey, numb nuts..." and implied that if I didn't use their saddle my, uh, virility would be compromised.

I got ignored. I didn't buy one and basically quit reading the magazine. Apparently, being a man who objects to someone trying to create feelings of potential inadequacy as a sales tactic is weird.

[Starfish]

I hope you have better results than I did.

I hope you write some letters. Liberator figures guys want to see those ads. Be nice if you told them otherwise.

[boy in a kilt]

Are we writing to bicycling, terry or all of the above?

Shoot me some addresses so I can send letters to the same places you are. I have a daughter and I don't like the idea of someone feeding her BS messages like that.

[Starfish]

Are we writing to bicycling, terry or all of the above?

Shoot me some addresses so I can send letters to the same places you are. I have a daughter and I don't like the idea of someone feeding her BS messages like that.

I'm thinking Bicycling, Liberator, and the advertisors who have the big ads, like Electra, etc. It is clear that some of the advertisors agree with the "our demographic is young men, so we'll use sexual images" idea.

But, c'mon. Electra doesn't have highly sexualized ads, for instance. Doubt if that is their demographic. I'm hoping to let anyone know who is in a position to put pressure on Bicycling. Dollars talk. Figure they care more about their ad dollars than about my opinion.

[Flybye]

This ad has bothered me for sometime. I don't want to see it. I am the primary reason for not wanting it in the magazine. My kids are the secondary reason. It really irritates me when a woman's body is used in a sexual way to sell something. It cheapens women. We have beautiful bodies and they shouldn't be USED in a sexual way for the profit of someone else. We deserve to be treated with more respect than that.

I will gladly write a letter to both parties if I am provided with addresses.

I have, for the same reason as Starfish (young kids) asked Wal-Mart and other stores we frequent to put magazine covers on Muscle and Fitness, Cosmopolitan, and other magazines which have near naked women on the cover. I don't want either of my daughters to view their beauty by the standards of cover models. I know that is just a band aid to a huge problem beyond anything that I can ever do as one voice, but it makes me feel better to know that they aren't seeing those magazines two times a week. I don't want my pre teen son gawking at them and getting ideas earlier than will hit him either. What happened to modesty?

Thanks for the great post, Starfish!!!!!

[Eden]

Are we writing to bicycling, terry or all of the above?

Shoot me some addresses so I can send letters to the same places you are. I have a daughter and I don't like the idea of someone feeding her BS messages like that.

Just to clarify something those ads are NOT for the Terry Liberator saddle... they are ads for a bedroom toy.

[sundial]

This ad has bothered me for sometime. I don't want to see it. I am the primary reason for not wanting it in the magazine.

Yeah, me too. I don't know why they have to advertise that other than men might have a testosterone moment after they get off the bike. What about women? Know what really rocks our world? A man helping around the house. How about pics of Donny Does Dishes?

I remember when Bicycling released a women's only cycling mag. I wish they would continue to print that monthly. As it stands, I only pick up a cycling mag once a year--around the time of the Tour de France.

[Starfish]

...See your issue of Bicyclilng Magazine for other advertisors. I don't have an issue handy.

(For Liberator) -- The ones who run the stupid ads themselves --
OneUp Innovations
6300 Powers Ferry Road
Suite 600, Box 346
Atlanta, GA 30339 USA
866-542-7283

Bicycling
610-967-8722
bicycling@rodale.com
(check your issue for mailing address)

Electra Bicycle Company
3270 Corporate View, Ste A
Vista CA 92081 USA
760.607.2453

Look Cycle USA
4980 Longley Lane
Suite 104
Reno, NV 89502

Specialized Bicycle Components - Worldwide Headquarters
15130 Concord Circle
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
(408)779-6229

Shimano American Corporation
One Holland, Irvine, California 92618 U.S.A.
1-949-951-5003

SRAM WORLD HEADQUARTERS
Chicago, Illinois U.S.A.
SRAM Corporation
1333 N. Kingsbury, 4th Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60622
Phone: +1-312-664-8800

Cervelo
416.425.9517

FUJI Worldwide Headquarters
10940 Dutton Road
Philadelphia, PA 19154
Tel: 215-824-3854

Zipp
1-800-472-3972

[Starfish]

Just to clarify something those ads are NOT for the Terry Liberator saddle... they are ads for a bedroom toy.

Oh, thanks...I was wondering why KiltBoy mentioned writing Terry. Thanks Eden!

[Starfish]

What about women? Know what really rocks our world?

Hey, sometimes bedroom toys rock my world...but I don't want to see pics like this in a cycling mag, especially one I want to hand to a pudgy 13 year old girl to get her interested in cycling.

[boy in a kilt]

Rough draft:

(sent to bicycling@rodale.com)

To whom it may concern,

After reading your magazine for nearly 25 years, I've noticed a tendency in the past several years for your advertisers to using highly sexualized images of women to promote their products.

Why is this necessary? Why do you allow it?

A bicycle is a wonderful thing. Riding a bicycle is a wonderful thing. One day, I hope my daughter will decide she wants to take up cycling. I want her to ride a bike because it's a source of joy for her. However, I'm afraid I won't be able to hand her your magazine because she will see the same silly crap about what her body should look like and what it should be used for.

For years, your magazine has promoted cycling as an activity for women. That is a worthy goal. However, I look at the advertising in your magazine and ask "Is a butt shot of a woman in 5" heels REALLY encouraging women to get on their bikes and ride?" It saddens me to realize that an otherwise quality magazine has chosen the same tactics as everyone else to make a buck.

At the risk of sounding like a retro-grouch, I hope your magazine goes back to the days when people got their picture in your magazine because they rode bikes.

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

[SouthernBelle]

b-i-k,

You might mention the specific advertiser(s) or even articles. They never show a female rider over 120 lbs.

[Beane]

don't know why they have to advertise that other than men might have a testosterone moment after they get off the bike.

I'm confused about this too.

My DH pointed out that's its nothing you wouldn't see watching 20 minutes of MTV.

If you're worried about giving the mag to a kid, just tear out the offending pages. I agree, though, that it shouldn't be necessary.

[Grog]

Great idea!

Also forward the add to Ms. Magazine. They might post it on their last page - the "No Comment" page with the address of the company and of the magazine. That usually triggers LOTS of mail from the Ms. readership, and often in success in taking the add off.

Some helmet company also has offensive adds, and KHS had awful ones a while ago. (Well lots of mountain biking products have awfully sexist ads in general.)