Where’s the Love Burton?
October 17, 2008
Filed under Extreme Sports, How to snowboard, Instruction, Snowboarding
Tags: Burton Love, Burton snowboards, controversy, female snowboarders, how to buy a snowboard, how to snowboard, Love snowboard, Playboy, Playmate, professional snowboarder, Ride snowboards, snowboard, snowboard bindings, snowboard instruction, Snowboarding
Burton Snowboards is no stranger to mainstream media criticism over its new Love snowboard line. It’s no surprise that the nude Playmate graphics are offending parents, churches and other groups who are usually insulted by most things. I have to admit, I sort of don’t disagree with the critics in this case, but not for the same reasons.
I don’t have a problem with Playboy or Playmates or naked women or anything like that. I don’t even believe that these images are demeaning. But the second these nudes made their way from the bathroom magazine rack onto a Burton snowboard, I began feeling slighted.
I agree the images are tasteful, but as snowboard graphics they appeal to a sophomoric, boys-only audience which sends an unintended message that female snowboarders aren’t welcome. Now, I realize most men who read this are puzzled at the very least by my seemingly unfounded objection, so allow me to explain.
At uber-crowded Minnesota terrain parks, the frenetic commotion of teen boy aggression makes the park feel unwelcoming and intimidating to most beginners and women. As a female snowboard coach, I see resistance from students (particularly girls) who feel self-conscious and out of place in the terrain park. Burton’s Love graphics contribute to this hostile environment by facilitating a “ha ha, boobies are sweet” attitude that perpetuates the notion that women are better being ridden than riding. Lets face it, there’s no way even the coolest girl can ever truly be part of that boys’ club.
Of course Burton’s support of womens’ snowboarding over the years can’t be unraveled by boobie graphics. They helped pioneer progression by sponsoring top female riders, creating equipment specific for ladies, cultivating new talent through women’s-specific snowboard programs and encourage park courtesy with Smart Style.
Burton’s popularity with women snowboarders makes it a particularly unusual message. According to Quantcast, 53% of Burton.com’s 100,000 monthly visitors are female and 55% have children at home–compared to RideSnowboards.com with just 42% women and RomeSnowboards.com with 46% female.
If boys want to see more boobies, they should encourage their female friends to take a snowboard lesson and be supportive of women venturing into the terrain park. Perhaps one day, women will comprise 53% of the mountain (not just the web stats) and ride on snowboards with graphics of fantasy men who are pictured with a tool-belt, a pan of homemade lasagna and a back-rub-ready bottle of massage oil. Ha ha.
No worries Burton. I don’t really care all that much. Just let me know when the FeelGood ES comes out with the graphics mentioned above.
See complaints on CNN here: Love
ok, you, being female, I want to know why you think those images are tasteful, and why you don’t find them demeaning to women. How is tasteful and non demeaning when a dude is riding a board with a naked girl on it? Do you really think those guys aren’t womanizers?
Woah woah, your simple means of personal justification is outlandish and rediculous.
“I agree the images are tasteful, but as snowboard graphics they appeal to a sophomoric, boys-only audience which sends an unintended message that female snowboarders aren’t welcome.”
-By personally describing these images of playboy women as “tasteful” you personify women as to be objects to look at a drool over. Moreso, you’re sending the message that objectifying women onto YOUNG MEN is good and righteous. I also know, for a fact, that it isn’t just mom’s and the media, but empowered women who see that stamping a near-naked woman on everything these days is putting an immoral and demeaning message that says “beauty and sexy is naked” and nothing more. I could appreciate if there were pictures of Torah bright to on there, in a snowboard outfit, saying it’s cool for girls to snowboard.
I also find it difficult to understand that the company is trying to show girls that it’s cool to snowboard, and yet you put the pressures of the media (these images) on these board creating a hostile environment for them to grow in this sport.
I believe a true snowboarding and encourageable company would put encouraging graphics on their products and not ones that show how low they can go before someone says “that’s too much”. Do you honestly believe that with all those boys in Minnesota with their non-pornographic snowboards being intimidating is a justification that you should target them as no more than slaves these images because the images are “tasteful”. Most teens don’t know the WORD tasteful, but if you ask them what they think of the board I’m sure they’ll use either “cute, hot, sexy, etc.” But I will soley guarantee they will NOT use the word “tasteful”.
I’m not saying that men aren’t around to be objectified either, but in this world we very well know that women are much more objectified, and if the images of a near-naked man come on the bottom of a board, I will be sure to make my complaints as well.
The great snowboarding women, in their glory and courage, creating a new lifestyle to SNOWBOARD, not to pose near-nude or nude for the products they ride. And the more we give ourselves in to this terrible media of encouraging these images and objectification, the more we demean ourselves, and the roles and examples we play for future generations. The mere fact that young men are immature does not mean you need to play into their libido but teach them of fairness and acceptance to anyone who wants to snowboard. And the more you play into their immaturities, the more (and often times, longer) the boys will remain close-minded individuals who won’t play with the girls. Teach them that we live in a world where girls can ride just as good as the guys and more girls will be welcome, more girls will find an encouragement, and this world will be a better place. Just a little, but all we have to look forward to is change.
P.S. I’m not religious, not a family man, just a young man who is offended.
Thank you.