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Writer blasted for calling female Olympic athletes indistinguishable from men

BY Stephanie Klein  on August 9, 2012 @ 1:51 pm (Updated: 3:44 pm - 8/9/12 )

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United States' Lauryn Williams gets the baton from her teammate Bianca Knight in the 4 X 100-meter relay. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

A columnist for a Turkish newspaper is getting slammed for a piece he wrote about the Olympics destroying the traditional female figure.

In "Womanhood is dying at the Olympics," Yuksel Aytug said 'broad-shouldered, flat-chested women with small hips; [they are] totally indistinguishable from men.'

He said women are forced to look more like men so they can be successful athletes. Other columnists and now athletes are attacking the writer for referring to women like cuts of meat in a butcher shop.

Shawn Stewart, co-hosting on Ross and Burbank, suggests Aytug abandon the Olympics for something more his speed, like the Lingerie Bowl. Not only that, but all body types can be witnesses at the Summer Olympics. The bodies of basketball players, archers, weight lifters, and gymnasts are noticeably different.

Aytug has since come out and said his article was meant to show support for women who might like to be more feminine, but they're being forced by the pressures of the Olympics.

There is no denying that for most sports at the Olympic level, you must be in the best physical shape as possible. It means an athlete might have virtually no amount of body fat to create the illusion of curves.

Ross says that it's possible Aytug's article is merely bringing to light a cultural divide when it comes to the ideal female figure.

"It probably goes back to the fact that in our pioneer [days], women were expected to do just as much physical labor as men were. We don't really want to treat our women as delicate flowers."

Or it could simply be that Aytug has never run so hard he throws up and simultaneously feels immense pride. Call us when you have a gold medal draped around your neck, Aytug.

By Stephanie Klein, MyNorthwest.com

Stephanie Klein, MyNorthwest.com Editor
Stephanie joined the MyNorthwest.com team in February 2008. She has built the site into a two-time National Edward R. Murrow Award winner (Best Radio Website 2010, 2012).
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Comments (13)


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  • boomshakalaka wrote...
    ...
    August 9, 2012 3:35 pm
    ... the dudes in the photo look like chicks.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cdbtx wrote...
    It's just an opinion
    August 9, 2012 4:18 pm
    You know what they say about opinions... can I say that here?

    I actually admire virtually all of the atheletes.. they've typically worked their tails off to pursue a dream.. and every now and then.. that person seems to come from nowhere and shine..

    It's also good to see people of all ages inspired... as far as attractive... does it really matter.... pretty certain that none of the female athletes had Aytug on their top 100 list of people to ask out on a date...

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  • couchpotatoslacker wrote...
    Sad thing is
    August 9, 2012 5:01 pm
    He is mostly right.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Realitycheck wrote...
    Truth hurts
    August 9, 2012 6:08 pm
    Lots of these so called women certainly don't look very feminine. So i don't know why people attack him, he is just stating facts.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • couchpotatoslacker wrote...
    they attack him because
    August 9, 2012 6:30 pm
    It's not pc to say anything unflattering against minorities or women. It's all about being pc these days.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Keitho wrote...
    Hmm...
    August 9, 2012 6:59 pm
    Both slender, muscular, lack breasts. I can see his point
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Snout wrote...
    Turks can clean up well.
    August 9, 2012 9:01 pm
    Look at the Kardashians. Yeah, she's Armenian. Different religion, same moustache. Get the weed whacker and remove the moustache, eyebrows and other assorted body hair and you have someone that people find attractive. Just forget that without all that work, you're turned on by a chick that would look like Saddam Hussein.
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  • ronzilla wrote...
    I would heartily enjoy seeing 'Joanie' from the 'Mad Men' drama
    August 10, 2012 2:30 am
    perform in track and field events! Wow!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ronzilla wrote...
    It would be a
    August 10, 2012 2:44 am
    fascinating visual. Especially if she could actually contend. Am I wrong?

    https://www.google.com/search?q=joanie+mad+men&hl=en&safe=off&rlz=1C1CHMO_en-gbUS487US487&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=k-MkUOm1I4j8iwLT74DYDw&ved=0CDsQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=1062

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  • fartforce1 wrote...
    Well, at least is solid prof that some media figures..are stupid. Figure that one out, Ha ha **
    August 10, 2012 3:50 am
    I am going to defend him, because I must do. Its like the adage, they all look the same right? No! Olympians in competition mode are very often low fat and body fat gives sexual definition. Wider hips, Breasts, and smooth skin are all the things that make women look like women. It was kind of a backhanded complement. And it means he admitted taking sweet peaks at some of the athletes. So?
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  • AllynWA wrote...
    Amazing humans
    August 10, 2012 6:43 am
    "Call us when you have a gold medal draped around your neck, Aytug." Beautifully said. I look at the picture above and am awed by the power, amazed at their accomplishments, impressed by their strength. The fact that they’re not soft and squishy and some of the idiots commenting below aren’t attracted to them sexually means, what, exactly? Who cares if they fit your or Aytug’s ideal of beauty? They are who they are and how you feel about them matters nothing to them or to anyone else. You don’t like how they look? Don’t use them in your masturbation fantasies and keep your moronic criticisms to yourselves.
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