What A Story!

The Sports Illustrated model issue in February in the beginning was suspected to be sacrilegious. Sports is one of the religions with an unfair amount of absurdity to its structure and as a practice: dangerous. The danger of this religion is the overriding contradiction it enjoyed for a long time that men declared in the spirit of domination! This empowering emotion took pleasure excluding women from the inner sanctum in front of the family TV on any Sunday!

When women stepped outside of their prescribed assignment: serving food and drinks and retiring to another room men would typically get upset because their mental focus on the screen was incapable of venturing in but one direction. When the idea of making bikini clad white models the focus of the holy text of 'the' American sports magazine for February, a lot of men were upset! That was what Playboy was for; not this publication! 

And then was the threat that wives would take exception at the growing excitement, and acceptance of this issue as sensual stimuli legitimized by the respectability of Sports Illustrated! What happened was a bonus! The issued became the proverbial pat upon the head! Wives decided to let their husband's this one pleasure, in part; I suspect, because it was very public. Without secrecy sensuality in this medium was given a status Playboy could not, did not have! Wives could live with this and be amused at the same time.

Over time, the monthly display of flesh in the sun during the worst of winter time blues was welcome and the models began to come from other ethnic groups, straying not far from the white standard of beauty.

It all comes together in this one publication. Western contradictions abound upsetting cultures around the globe. Despite the turmoil Europe created in the images and perception of Beauty, womanhood, and sex they've mysteriously taken over the images that dominate and control billions of people's concept of self in this monthly issue!

It is a powerful demon, at best. It comes alive much like Lazarus from the dead with each publication of the Sports Illustrated's swimsuit magazine, in February. What a story!

- Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories
Jan. 22, 2018

Sports Illustrated model Genevieve Morton in the 2014 swimsuit issue.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover has been revealed for 2015, and it stars none other than Hannah Davis.

Sports Illustrated model Ariel Meredith (2013)