Not sure what I think of this ...

[Irulan]

Now, if a man appreciates the female form, is he automatically objectifying her? I don't think so...do you remember the responses to the "HOT MALE RIDERS" thread that has gotten 8,254 views in the last 3.5 months on this very forum??? Do the member of this forum objectify men by looking at that 8,254 times....the second most views on the non-cycling forum???

Thanks for pointing that out.

Anyone who says that thread (hot guys) is about art and not objectification is full of it. Is there anyone here who can HONESTLY say that that they did not look at that thread about hot guys at all because they find the concept of objectification of anyone offensive? 8,255 views? Yeah, right.

but anyway, lest some of you think all men are pigs who just want to leer at women who choose to model in ridiculous situations, here's a great thread, all real women on bikes, no draping, high heels or come hither glances... I give you Ladies who rock all women, all real riders, all mountain bikers, all posted by men who love women who ride. Totally safe for work btw

[DirtDiva]

Nothing to add that hasn't already been said other than, personally, if I were to have a picture of G-RD on my wall I'd rather have her looking mean and mud-splattered with some poor competitor in the background with both lungs hanging out of the corner of a pained-looking mouth... Proper kick-arse, not just hot.

[lph]

This subject is always pretty interesting, because it's easy to get caught in a double standard. It seems it's more socially acceptable now for women to look at nude men than the opposite, it's seen as sort of gutsy and cool and "see, we can do just like you guys have been doing for years", while men gawping at nude women are still just slobs... Which is unfair, but it's how the pendulum swings.

But personally I don't like the sex kitten posing no matter who does it. It would look even weirder if someone like Lance Armstrong were doing it because it's such a super-feminine eek-look-don't-touch pose, and very passive. I guess the male equivalent is the oily Chippendale pose, which conveys more power and control, but I still don't like it much.

I guess the almost soft porn poses just feel a bit too private! Like I'm peeking into somebodys bedroom. Don't get me wrong, I like to look at hot nude bodies as much as anyone but I much prefer shots that focus on more than just sexiness, like humor, intelligence, passion, athleticism... Where the model is actually expressing some kind of emotion.

This is why they call women complicated

(DirtDiva, you're hilarious.)