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14 Dec 2017, 15:20 (Ref:3787039) | #1 | ||
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the grid girl debate
It looks like the removal of Grid Girls is being considered as a future change to the sport....
http://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/42346331 |
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14 Dec 2017, 15:26 (Ref:3787041) | #2 | |||
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14 Dec 2017, 19:28 (Ref:3787086) | #3 | ||
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The times, they are a changin! About a year or so ago, my local car club had a knock-down-drag-out online fight about grid girls. Our award ceremonies are generally just a bunch of people standing around as someone reads the results at the end of the event! But at larger events in the past we had some podium girls. If I remember correctly it was an anniversary year for us, so people were posting photos from older events on our Facebook page. Photos which included podium girls. That triggered a furor of condemnation by a segment of our members in that they felt the photos were inappropriate and that the usage of the models was wrong. The fight within our club that lasted for many days. I believe positions on the topic had a strong correlation to the age of the individual. While that was awhile back, we also have here in the US (to be honest, I don't have a good view as to how much of this is playing out globally) the watershed "#MeToo" moment. So anything that smacks of misogyny is a hot potato right now. And for some grid girls could be the poster child for that. Given F1 is a world series, and that views globally on what is "acceptable" are probably all over the place, I think no single answer is going to satisfy everyone for sure! With that said... I expect the days of grid girls are numbered regardless of your individual opinion on the topic. Richard |
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14 Dec 2017, 20:28 (Ref:3787096) | #4 | ||
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I am certainly of the older generation, yet I have felt for many years that the grid and podium girls were inappropriate. And they are usually made to dress in a way that is provocative in my eyes.
And the stupidity of it is that they do not add any value to the racing, which is what it should be all about. Just like all the glitz, glamour and "celebrity" on show on the grid prior to the start of the race. I don't get this whole business about a F1 weekend being about the "show". The show should be 24 or even more cars/drivers all racing to win a gruelling race. But then I'm just an old fart! |
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16 Dec 2017, 18:19 (Ref:3787517) | #5 | |
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I think the issue with grid (and podium) girls in the first instance is the dress or lack thereof they are made to nearly wear. While flags, names, sponsor details etc need holding, there should be no need to do so while wearing next to nothing. It's kind of ironic that it's fine for these girls to wear little but the teams go nuts about losing wings and fins because it removes sponsor space. I don't know how sponsors fit on some of the outfits the girls are forced to wear.
Personally it puts me off the thing being advertised when there's a half naked girl advertising it, more so when it's freezing cold. It's just so unnecessary. In football there are mascots and these are not girls in Lycra but kids in replica kit. If there is a need for someone to stand there, it shouldn't be a half naked model. It could be men, kids etc and appropriately dressed. If the thing is to see sponsors, regular clothes do that. I've never seen anyone walking around in replica grid girl kit for instance. It's supposed to be an inclusive society these days so if people are needed to stand around holding things, open it to anyone and wear clothes with sponsor decals - replica overalls, jackets, t shirts etc. |
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17 Dec 2017, 00:13 (Ref:3787552) | #6 | |||
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i absolutely agree on the inclusive aspect of this. going on the grid representing a team is pretty cool, and everyone should be able to experience it at least once in their lives. also everyone should have to experience the horror that is most team kit once in their lives too Last edited by bella; 17 Dec 2017 at 02:39. |
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18 Dec 2017, 16:56 (Ref:3787899) | #7 | ||
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It's cheesy. Let's move on. Grid girls belong to the era of Benny Hill.
At the London 2012 Olympics, young aspiring athletes carried the competitors stuff around for them. Some of them turned out to be Olympic athletes themselves in Rio. Why cant F1 do something similar? |
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22 Dec 2017, 11:54 (Ref:3788685) | #8 | |
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Carolina Panthers appoint Tina Becker Chief Operating Officer.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-f...-idUSKBN1EC2T6 "The Panthers said Becker, who started as a cheerleader, will be one of the highest-ranking female executives at an NFL team." |
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24 Dec 2017, 01:19 (Ref:3788922) | #9 | ||
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If only the grid girls could also race an F1 car....
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24 Dec 2017, 05:15 (Ref:3788944) | #10 | ||
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28 Dec 2017, 18:03 (Ref:3789482) | #11 | ||
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I'd be interested to know what grid girls do the rest of the time. It seems to me that if, as I suspect many are, they're professional models, then they're earning a living from their looks. It would be rather a different kettle of fish if the circuit organisers got Claire Williams or Monisha Kaltenborn to dress in short skirts.
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28 Dec 2017, 21:21 (Ref:3789508) | #12 | ||
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women are being used in our sport as decoration and lust objects for men to gawp at whether they make their living out of their appearance or not. i mean, other sports that use women in the same way include darts and boxing. haven't we gone past that kind of attitude in our sport now? |
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29 Dec 2017, 02:16 (Ref:3789533) | #13 | |||
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With attitudes changing, I don't think this sort of marketing has the same relevance today as it used to and there seems to be less of it. I can't remember when I last saw a car advert, with a semi naked woman draped all over it. I see the continued use of grid-girls as a hangover from this mindset and I think it will be only a matter of time, before it is also realised that the continued use of grid-girls is becoming less relevant. |
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29 Dec 2017, 05:12 (Ref:3789547) | #14 | ||
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To change, or expand on, the question a bit...
Is there a larger issue with the grid culture in general which needs to be modernized? Rather if grid girls are meant to attract fans then why is there a lack of fans on the grid? Instead we get the old rich guys, politicians, celebs etc. By design its a tradition steeped in exclusion as opposed to a more inclusive culture that most people now days require... a sentiment which I suppose is at the heart of the grid girl debate? |
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29 Dec 2017, 09:29 (Ref:3789556) | #15 | |||
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a salary slave no more... |
29 Dec 2017, 09:37 (Ref:3789558) | #16 | |
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28 Dec 2017, 18:43 (Ref:3789486) | #17 | |||
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28 Dec 2017, 20:57 (Ref:3789504) | #18 | ||
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28 Dec 2017, 21:27 (Ref:3789509) | #19 | |
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Male models need to make money too. Why are we discriminating against them?
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29 Dec 2017, 19:15 (Ref:3789653) | #20 | ||
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29 Dec 2017, 19:41 (Ref:3789656) | #21 | ||
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However...if we were to introduce male grid boys onto the BTCC grid and dressed them in lycra...well, then there would suddenly be a lot less people who want that gender balance. It'd also demonstrate just how utterly ludicrous some of the outfits are. But if we're going down the route of a 50/50 split and sensible clothes, then I'd still make it a fan competition. |
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29 Dec 2017, 19:50 (Ref:3789660) | #22 | |
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we're not looking at 50-50 by any means, but there's an awful lot of low key f1 and motorsport fans who are young women, particularly who don't attend races. i'd go as far as saying that the groups of young women who meet up and watch f1 together at several grands prix is probably about equal to the groups of young men... hungary in particular has a HUGE following of young women.
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29 Dec 2017, 12:27 (Ref:3789581) | #23 | ||
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You could see "Grand Prix" movie as a reflect on the grid girl debate...
Last edited by Mekola; 29 Dec 2017 at 12:36. |
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29 Dec 2017, 12:57 (Ref:3789586) | #24 | |
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The part of f1 that is the most cringe worthy is not the grid girls, although they are, but the girls lining the stairs and halls the drivers walk up to that cool-down room before the podium. Those girls aren't there for fans or to market anything. Their sole existence is to basically look like "spoils" for the victors as they do nothing but cheer for ajd smile and laugh at whatever the drivers say. It's awkward and kinda creepy.
And to the exclusion point above, I guess for grid walks where fans can walk the grid before a race, grid girls make more sense than an f1 event. There, like said, is just old rich guys and organizers and celebrities, which just makes it look more like the girls are there as spoils for the elite/rich/powerful. And to channel Dennis from "its always sunny in Philadelphia", those girls might feel an "implication", more so than if it was regular fans walking around. |
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29 Dec 2017, 13:11 (Ref:3789588) | #25 | |||
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