Leave Lolo Jones Alone

The New York Times featured an article on Saturday written by Jere Longman entitled "For Lolo Jones, Everything Is Image." Longman basically kinda roasts Lolo, as you could probably guess from the title, and claims that she's basically just a bunch of image and sexy acting but without any athletic achievement to back it up.

Hold on, boy.

I am not a fan of Lolo. Or the Olympics in general. It's fascinating, in a vague kind of way, like how I feel about the fact that it is possible to buy skin cream that costs over $100 an ounce. But I don't like how this guy seems to be unfairly targeting her (a woman of color) for doing something that ALL athletes do (creating an image and having endorsements). You think Ryan Lochte is just naturally that much of a frat boy (...well, maybe)?

The fact that he takes issue with how she portrays herself as "vixen, virgin, victim" is especially irksome. Vixen? She's a vixen for posing for nude photos (which were pretty tasteful, by the way)? Na, I don't buy it. Dozens of female athletes are oversexualized and their bodies fetishized not for their skill or talent but for their taut muscles. Jones is no different. As for her virginity, she's open about it and how it impacts her dating life. Marketing strategy? Perhaps. But by talking it up, the media is only helping her to work it harder. As for her being a victim, she has mentioned her hard childhood in interviews (poor, father was in and out of jail, moved around a lot, lived in the basement of a Salvation Army). But having watched some of them, it hardly seems like she's playing up her victimhood. She's telling her story, openly. She's not begging for a handout, just stating the facts of her life.

And why is she getting so much attention? Because last time she participated in the Olympics, she was in the lead and on the way to a goal when she tripped on a hurdle, and then cried on the track. This is the perfect setup for a redemption based comeback story for her, so of course there's more focus on her than the other track and field athletes. Also? This is America. Not many folks care about track and field.  We can focus on one, maybe two athletes for each sport.

What do you think? Is he right to critique her for being all style, no substance?

Much love,
The Sheriff


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PPS--for a humorous take on the oversexualization of female athletes, check this out: sports photographed the same way they do to volleyball.