0 comments
Same shit, less denim
Sydney Sweeney has pissed people off again, which means two things: 1) she got nude, and 2) I get to spend the morning looking at the photos – for research purposes.
The latest brand to discover Sweeny’s uncanny ability to wind up half the internet is Novig, a sports betting platform that recently enlisted the Euphoria star for a campaign centred around ‘just sports.’
The ad plays out exactly as you’d expect. Sweeney spends the entirety of it covering parts of her anatomy with a particular pose, or a combination of footballs, hockey sticks, and rackets. Novig’s unapologetically horny campaign was designed for mass virality, and achieved it almost immediately.
Tens of millions of views and a Times Square billboard later, Sweeney finds herself in the familiar position of being at the centre of a PR controversy/storm in a teacup, depending who you ask.
Much of the anger stems from female athletes, who have taken issue with a campaign supposedly about sport reducing its female representation to a gorgeous actress with her kit off. Mostly notably, four time Olympic champion Ariarne Titus (don’t laugh) scolded the ad as a ‘kick in the face’ to women who’ve spent their lives perfecting their craft.
It is true that Women’s sport has spent decades trying to persuade broadcasters, sponsors, and audiences to value and engage with the athletes. So when participation, investment, and viewing figures appear to be moving in the right direction, it’s understandable that some advocates see Sweeny covering her tits with a football and call it derivative.
Sweeney herself appears unbothered, sharing numerous ads of famous athletes like Serena Williams nude on old covers of ESPN’s Body Issue, to which critics responded by claiming that their particular version of nakedness was in lieu of admiring what an elite athlete’s body can do.
Both sides of the argument are valid. While calling out an ad for being arbitrarily thirsty and trivialising women in sport is understandable, there’s also an argument to say that telling a woman she shouldn’t sexualise herself for fear of setting other women back isn’t especially liberating either.
Female athletes and critics are allowed to be protective of a sporting culture that has historically valued women’s bodies before their achievements, and Sweeney is entitled to decide her body is hers to flaunt, make a bag from, and scarcely position behind a basketball whenever she wants.
It isn’t just a one-off ad either. She’s also a strategic partner and equity holder in the company.
Is the campaign sexist? Is Sweeney exercising agency over her own sexuality? Are the athletes overreacting? Are others pretending they suddenly care deeply about the integrity of sports advertising because it’s her?
Possibly all of the above.
The only unequivocal thing is that Novig has won. Most people had never heard of it before this week.
They fucking have now.
who gets a platform?
Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran tour after pro-Palestine statements – rolling stone
Macklemore has been dropped from Ed Sheeran’s US tour after venues reportedly pushed back over his pro-Palestine statements. Patriots owner Robert Kraft has since confirmed he personally blocked the rapper from performing at the Gillette Stadium, saying previous comments had crossed a line. Macklemore, who had repeatedly condemned the deaths of children in Gaza, points to Sheeran’s team and the decision to choose commercial comfort over free speech. As you’d expect Sheeran is getting a ton of flak, and many are left questioning where else the Ts & Cs of the industry come in behind the scenes. ‘You need me man I don’t need you.’ Read more
Meet the sex workers behind Doxy, ‘the magazine for the working girl’ – dazed
Elsewhere, sex workers are apparently solving the platform problem by making their own. Doxy is a glossy magazine written by and for people in the industry, featuring essays, interviews, erotica, horoscopes, and almost none of the voyeuristic smut you might expect from something described as a ‘mag for the working girl.’ Its creators argue that sex workers are heavily censored online, and this is intended to be a place where they can read about their industry and the content they make. Cover star Ari Kytsya is a co-owner of a creator-first alternative to OnlyFans, suggesting this is also probably about clawing some control back from the platforms that profit off them. Fair dos. Read more
grown-ish
Middle-class parenting neglects life skills that are essential for students – the guardian
You entitled little shits can’t even wash your pants or whip up a bolognese? Shame on you, and your parents. A recent Guardian article says that plenty of students are arriving on uni campuses with polished grades but no clue how to do any of the household stuff that distinguishes them from their grandparents’ grandparents. The argument is that parenting among the demographic has become so hyper-focused on measurable success that practical independence is basically absent by the time the bookcase is traded for a ring binder. When you take a break from studying philosophy, just make sure your fucking chicken isn’t pink. Read more
@a_dobs Can you tell I’m poor #fyp #foryoupage #follow #uni #food #sausagerolls
The new type of ID you can use as proof of age in pubs and shops – the independent
The government’s scarier digital ID plans have been binned, but they’re still bringing in a version that will let you use your biometrics to get sloshed. From this week, pubs, shops, festivals, and music venues in England and Wales can accept digital proof of age on your phone instead of a provisional licence with a headshot from when you were in year 7. Users verify themselves through apps like Yoti, then generate a one-off QR code after a face scan or pin check. As always, the pitch is convenience, but there’s a lingering sense a hidden agenda is at play. You won’t have to panic about your passport falling out of baggy shorts, but where your data could end up is another potential concern for many. Read more
