Today, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) released yet another "Strong is Beautiful" video featuring several relatively famous people who have nothing whatsoever to do with tennis talking about tennis. One of those people just so happened to be Donald Trump, the reigning expert on which women are or aren't beautiful. Women's tennis players are beautiful, says Trump, who owns the Miss USA pageant. So now we can all safely watch women's tennis without the risk of seeing an ugly (read: non-feminine, fat) woman. Whew.
But casting Trump in an ad isn't the WTA's only problem. Why are they still doing this whole "Strong is Beautiful" thing, anyway? The campaign's been called out for its sexualization of women's bodies in order to garner support and interest. Alone, eh, that's not a problem. People of all genders running around in little clothing is undeniably sexy. But a series of photos and videos that were released as part of the "Strong is Beautiful" campaign last year featured well-known tennis stars in satin minidresses hitting glitter-covered tennis balls in slow motion without ruining their professionally styled hair:
No, this is not how sports works! Have you ever tried to do anything with long hair in your face? You can't. Because in order to play most sports, you need to see. And in order to see, you need not to have hair in your face. One must have muscles. One must sweat. And sometimes one even has to grunt.
"Strong is Beautiful," the WTA says. But they really mean to deliver the old double standard: "Strong (But Not Too Strong) is Beautiful (in a Conventionally Narrow, Boner-Approved Way)."
WTA Makes Major Misstep in New Ad Campaign Featuring Donald Trump [Drop Shot Dispatch]