Women, Sport, and Film Course

The director chose certain visual shots, scripted dialogue and personal interactions to convey a message about your character. (Rachel, Bev, Lori, Carla or the judges) What is the director attempting to "say" about your character?

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Well, our characters were the judges, and I don't feel as though we really got enough of a look at their psyches to be able to say how they'd define sexuality or sensuality, but I think we did get a good look at how they define femininity: breasts, albeit vestigial, were requisite, and less bulky abs were preferred, as that allowed a smaller waist which could contrast with hips (think Rachel vs. Bev).

What really struck me about the film, though was: what the hell kind of sport is this anyway? I mean, obviously a LOT of effort and training and time and sweat and competition (both with self and with others) goes into bodybuilding, but then the culmination is a goddamn beauty contest?! I *so* do not get this at all. I could see it more if there were some quantitative measurements to the contest, like how much weight can each person bench press, leg press, etc. But there was nothing even remotely like that. Totally subjective set-up, nothing objective or concrete at all. Very strange, in my opinion.

Now, Bev didn't get a pool scene but I feel that everyone, even Bev made it explicit that she didn't have (or really have any interest in having) a feminine exterior. That's not to say that she wasn't feminine. There was nothing really rough and tumble about her except that she could lift a serious amount of weights. In fact, throughout the movie she was playful and sweet and flirty (with that other bulky fellow) and just "girly." I have trouble defining feminine--but I guess that's what the point is.

I feel like the judges did all they could do and maybe even made the right choices given the guidelines. They could only judge feminine from a purely asthetic standpoint. And from the beginning Bev made it clear that she didn't want to be built like a woman bodybuilder but like a man bodybuilder. So it was her choice to forego any of the more exterior female attributes.

I do have a problem with the contradiction or, at the very least, the confusion of having a body building contest that judges femininity. It seems to me that the two don't really compliment eachother.

I think Bev redefined sensuality, sexuality and femininity. She would define sensuality as something that is pleasing/appealing to the senses. For example that her muscles LOOK good or the massage she received felt good for her muscles. Sexuality would be defined as relations between man and woman. She wouldn't take it any further than that because she doesn't have an intimate relation at the time. Femininity would be defined as having qualities of a woman. Bev doesn't display femininity during the movie, but the other three bodybuilders documented were shown with their significant others, applying make-up and worrying about how they look, not just their muscles. Bev takes femininity to another level saying that women can look like her and be feminine and have a well developed body.

The head judge states that the outcome of the contest will define feminity. Carla, a physically strong, intellectual, graceful, and independant woman is chosen as the winner. She is also the only contestant who is not shown trained by or dating a man. Instead she gains her support from other woman (her mother and sister). While perhaps the director was attempting to define feminity in a positive and feminist friendly way, it is interesting to note that he chose a black woman (an "other" or border character) as the winner. As noted in the reading, Carla's music while she is performing begins with jungle sounds, which suggests that chosing Carla was in some way a compromise or "safe" way of defining feminity. Any thoughts?

In contrast I bev was certainly filmed as an outsider to all the other women. When I look at the shower and swimming pool scenes, along with the "girl talk" that other contestants were participating in, bev was never in the shot. She was shown with friends, but the focus of her female friends was not on their femeninity. And the focus of Bev's male friends was never on the physical level, where as the trainers and boyfriends of other contestants was a prime focus for other contestants.

Looking at the two portrayals of Bev in the filmmake her seem like a true outsider. A woman who never fit in with her female counterparts.

I think it's clear that Bev was the one who challenged everyone's definitions of femininity. Her physical appearance is bulky and muscular - a physique most commonly seen with men. But she is certainly feminine and womanly when we're not looking at her as just an athlete but as a person (shown through her interactions with friends, etc.)

Rachel is undoubtedly feminine (she has the long hair, the makeup, etc), and is also the closest representation of sexuality. But sexuality doesn't play much of a role in the competition - which is why Rachel doesn't win.

Carla combines femininity, sexuality, and sensuality. She is in great physical shape (though not as muscular as Bev) and also looks like the typical "woman" that the judges seem to want to see (though she's not quite as feminine or "pretty" as Rachel). It seems like Rachel and Bev are the two extremes, and Carla is the safe middle ground.

I guess the problem from the judges' standpoint is how one goes about determining how important each of these aspects are in the bodybuilding competition. Like someone said before, it shouldn't be a beauty pageant. Bev was clearly the strongest of the women, but apparently the judges wanted to see more than just strength and muscle.

I would define femininity as a sense of style, elegance, and grace in a female. Sexuality is the sense of sex, whereas sensuality is the combination of grace and sex.

I've seen most of Pumping Iron II, though not all. The most interesting thing to me in this forum, is that people have commented on Bev's femininity or lack therof, but only one person offered a definition.

Sussanah said that she was upset that the bodybuilding contest was more of a beauty pageant. Lelani said that she thought bodybuilding and femininity don't go together. What do we expect from bodybuilding? Is it impossible to be muscular and beautiful at the same time? Is it really impossible to be feminine and muscular as the same time? Why are the two in conflict with each other? (muscular vs. feminine and beautiful) And should we assume that feminine and beautiful are the same thing?

Dasen, Kelly, and Katie offered that Bev redefined femininity. She is gracious, graceful, kind, and Dasen and Co. suggested that these are feminine qualities that Bev has although she doesn't *look* feminine. Everyone on the post agreed that Bev *looked* masculine, but if she really challenges our definition of femininity, I don't believe that she challenges us to define it as a way of acting, regardless of look, I think she challenges it all around. Sarah Johnson posted that the way the judges were portrayed challenged us to think about how we judge bodies in sport. I think it goes farther. The combination of Bev's actions and *look* that she desired, along with the way the judges were portrayed, challenge how we look at bodies in general, and how we define feminine and masculine physical qualities.

Several times in the movie, people commented that Bev looked like a man. If she was obviously a woman, how can she look like anything other than herself? Just by the nature of her existence, she *had* to *look* feminine. She is s female. Maybe it's something for all of us to think about next time we look at a man or a woman and say that they look like the opposite gender. Maybe it's time we redefine femininity and masculinity on a physical and more uncomfortable level.

Thanks,
Monica

I would have to say that Bev’s sensuality is rooted in the pride that she takes in her muscles and the way that they make her feel. I also think that Bev brings her own definition of femininity to the competition. She presents the opinion that it is ok for women to be strong and to have muscles.