Don’t defend smutty photo shoots by calling it art

Published May 1, 2019 11:00am ET



On Tuesday I wrote a piece condemning the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue for its sexist smut. The responses were mixed. Some readers agreed that the commodification of women’s bodies is insulting. Others argued that they’re just beautiful women showing off being beautiful. It’s art.

Allow me to disagree. A magazine full of bikini-clad women marketed to men is not art, and its subjects are not empowered.

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