Carolina's LP dress intrigues me, not in a perverted way mind you. I was expecting something kind of out there although I could never imagine she would come up with that. The nude colored panty portion had me baffled, but in HD you can see it's crystallized which kind of makes it appear less nude to me. Actually the draped skirt flaps up a lot less than a traditional skirt would.
Matilda,I'm not sure I understand your first sentence. Johnny likes to work it both ways, no pun intended. He uses his gender bending to get reality TV shows, then decries the fact Smucker's don't like him. Then he gets his fans to think he does not get the marks because he is "different." He is hardly a victim. He is a very smart, crafty fellow who learned any publicity translates into money.
Johnny had no reliable quad. What he did in Vancouver was beautiful 6.0 skating. He had no transitions. The fact that better skaters whose coaches know how to play CoP outskated him explain his rank. Maybe he could have been a bit higher. But who would you mark lower? Johnny never really grew as a skater. He did grow as an exhibitionist. And no, I don't have to like some pictures that were so unwholesome I go "yeech." I don't have to like men in heals, or pretend I do. If the judges could not get behind Johnny, it may have been his dated skating. And if they were privately offended or angry at the effect he had on male FS perception, do you blame them?
He got himself in front of every camera. he did anything for publicity. He did win because he is doing commentary in Sochi and NBC is salivating, hoping he will open is mouth and get arrested. Or kiss his husband. NBC know there could be trouble. Just the way TV bagged nancy after 94 Olympic comments, even in Massachusetts, the way they trashed Tonya every way they could, the way they let us know Pasha ice dancer was a homewrecker. They are shamelessly hoping for controversy now.
Either that or Johnny has finally found acceptance. But he sure has toned down the outfits since he married a lawyer. Maybe he just grew up and realized that people were tired of him. Whatever it takes to remain relevant means an income stream. If people got bored of skin and the maxi dress was worn everywhere, Madonna would adapt. This is the nature of publicity hounds. I don't know him. Maybe he is a nice guy. But his "victim" stance and way he trashed an actual OGM champion (Evan) was pretty awful. And trying to out him was even worse. If I could meet any skater for a chat, Johnny would not be it. I don't really respect him. Should I?
It's required, but they aren't forced - if you don't want to you don't have to become a Kerri Walsh... the idea is it's "beach" volleyball so look like you're at the beach. Interestingly enough the guys are not just in swimming trunks.
Volleyball is a real sport so putting it in quotes is demeaning.
The original Olympians (wayyyyyyyyyy back in time, you know, history) were naked or very nearly so. Guess we're "regressing" in honor of history.
My argument is still the same - this issue of bad costumes is nothing new, so where do we draw the line. MK's dresses are great, sure, but if she's walking around town wearing something with that short of a skirt she'd have "ho" (oh, look, another demeaning ****-shaming term!) length going on. The difference is she is well liked so it's "okay" and any miss is dismissed. In fact all the other women brought up with their "misses" have been dismissed. I just don't get the whole "let's attack these three skaters because of their costumes." So they're tacky/in poor taste. It's not hampering them from getting the job done.
Actually I thought it was lovely on TV, it wasn't until I saw the up close photos that it really looked awful. It'd be interesting to see it live and not under a camera flash.
Wow, one sentence re. Johnny ignited this rant? I'm not going to engage this further than to say that Johnny's career in skating did not start in Vancouver, nor did the problems that USFSA and some fans had with him not fitting the norms. And his publicity and colorful persona has, whether you like it or not, brought new fans to the sport.
My main concern with your previous comments was, in fact, more generally the idea that "effeminate" clothing on male skaters is unacceptable. This is a narrow and potentially harmful attitude, and seems to frequently extend not just to clothing, but also to skating style. Skate Canada and USFSA have both actively tried to "butch up" the image of men's figure skating, and I think it's a wrong-headed move. For example, last season Adam Rippon had a choreographer who said he felt Adam's style had been too effeminate and he tried to create a more "masculine" program and style for him. That Mad Men program did not work for Adam at all--the style and the program simply weren't true to him, and it was obvious in his skating. The more lyrical programs of this season suit him a lot better, and it shows in his interpretation. More comfortable with the style of his programs and with the improved technique under Arutunian, Adam is now a contender for Sochi.
Whether a skater is "butch" or "effeminate" should be irrelevant. There should be room for many different kinds of skating styles and costuming, both in men's and women's skating--I personally find the variety to be wonderful. What should matter at the end of the day is the quality of performance--technically as well as artistically--in any given competition.
I 'd also like to point out that femininity and masculinity are not absolute terms, but social constructs that vary from one culture to another--and from one historical era to another even within the same culture.
Also, I'd still like you to answer my question: what do you mean by saying that Rudy was "the real deal"?
Re your "rant" since u used such a negative to me term but defend your Johnny. How would anyone know without a national poll whether he BROUGHT fans or LOST FANS????? Where is your data, not opionion? Next, His programs were 6.0 no quad, he stopped winning as time went on. Yet he portrayed the victim thing. Hardly.
He played games, sat in bathtubs with his friends, wore fur everything. He is an exhibitionist, just starting to tone it down to fit in and get commentator work. Look how he went after Evan. jealous much?
He is hardly a role model for anyone. His anthem is I do as I please. That's original.
As for Adam, I find him true to himself, elegant not effeminate. Hanyu's skating is not particularly effeminate. I was referring to his awful, tack, OT blouse. Yuck.
And Rudy came out when no other skater did, even told about his AIDS which could have finished his career. He went through so much. He was disliked for his effeminate balletic style, but he stayed true to himself. He didn't out anyone and if he attacked a more successful skater, I never heard it. He did not make a career out of 'I'm gay and I'm gonna push my agenda.' He simply didn't lie. I have to admire a lot about him...esp that 1996 skate after he lost dad, brother, coach. He is genuine, at least as far as I know. That's my answer and done with topic.:yes:
Matilda said:Anyway, I hope we could be less judgmental of the skaters, their styles of skating and clothing, weight, etc. and focus on encouraging all the skaters instead.
I was unaware that what you wore is what made it a sport.
Unfortunately on skating forums (or any sports specific forum... or any anonymous forum of any subject) that just doesn't work. :no:
Like it or not, costuming is a part of the packaging of a skater and their program. It's not possible for fans to avert their eyes and ignore the costume! I happen to be of a conservative bent and dislike the Porn Stars on Ice look for anybody but especially for a skater not yet an adult. I can't define it, but I know it when I see it. I find questionably cut, provocative, too much bare skin or illusion, and inadequate underskirt coverage with commensurate butt-cheek reveals, to all be in that category. In fact, I find such costumes actually distract me from the skating....which may or may not be what the skater's team intends. Usually the Russians lead the Bad Taste parade, which is why I was quite heartened to see Julia L's FS costume--tasteful, well-cut, appropriate to age and music, elegant, and an enhancement to her skating not a distraction. IMO one of the big winners of the skating fashion season so far. I find her countrywoman Sotnikova's dress to be unspeakable. Kostner, who is well into adulthood and normally has decent taste in costumes and access to some good designers, notched up an Epic Fail with this new beaded-bikini thing. She should save it for next Carnival season in Rio.
Here is what the ISU rules have to say (Rule 500, paragraph 2, page 80 of the official regulations ):
They recently dropped the language that said ladies must wear a skirt of sufficient length to cover the buttocks. That is, ladies can wear pants now -- but if they do wear a skirt, of course it must be modest, dignified and appropriate to athletic competition. :yes:
I'm not a fan of the whole gender bender idea - I'm totally fine with there being girls and boys and sets of "appropriate" clothing for each in the workplace and on ice.
That being said, those that are being hammered here for their "effeminate" clothing just don't come off as that (okay Johnny has gone over the top, and I don't like them, but I don't think it's what has caused the downfall of the sport in North America).
I hope my previous post wasn't what you had in mind when you mentioned the view that "effeminacy" has caused the downfall of the sport in NA. Rather, what I meant to indicate was my view that the problem is the attitude that there is something wrong with (what is called) femininity among men. It is bias against femininity (especially as evinced by men) that I think contributes to the unpopularity of FS in NA, in my view. (There are other problems too, to be sure.)
I didn´t see her first costume but so her costume in Paris is aparently better.