Photo was offensive
My name is Julie Clark, otherwise known as Trailer Park Clark in the roller derby world. I am grateful for the amount of coverage that the Yukon Roller Girls have received.
Your reporter Tom Patrick has done a great job of informing and educating Yukon News readers of our events and the sport itself.
I have been fortunate to have had my photo and name featured in the Yukon News on numerous occasions over the past two years.
I have been happy with the results. That all being said, I am not happy with the most recent photograph of me in the May 2 edition and in fact find it offensive.
The photo perpetuates the idea that roller derby is a sexual display of female performers as opposed to sport played by trained athletes.
We, as a league, work to ensure that we represent the sport as an activity for strong and empowered women, especially because we have a junior derby league with young women.
This also appears to be a fitting moment to state that I am confused as to why this was allowed to go to print while our derby names continue to be censored. We choose our names, but I did not choose to be portrayed in this way.
I appreciate your time in reading this letter and I will continue to support the Yukon News but hope that another unfortunate incident like this will be avoided in the future.
Julie Clark
Whitehorse
6 Comments
I think the letter Julie wrote is perfect. The Roller Girls to me display a team of women all shapes and sizes doing a sport that makes them feel good. Their costumes and names add to the confidence of being in the sport. The photo of Julie while I don’t find it offensive, was just mean to publish. I was shocked when I saw it and thought of how unfair it was that Julie was published like that. I am sure he would have had other photos and choosing that one and having it approved was rude. I am glad Julie wrote a letter and I support it fully.
@flyingfur - There are many tasteful and flattering angles to take action sport photographs - the photo published was a full-on crotch shot. Not tasteful representation of Julie, YRG or the sport. People are perpetuating the negative view of Roller Derby by publishing inappropriate photos! Julie - I think your letter was fantastic. Classy, to the point and well written. Best of luck to the YRG in Fairbanks this weekend!
Thanks RightCon. Let me see if I have this right. Perhaps her choice of garb perpetuates the stereotype or generalizations that people have about roller derby, and so if one’s aim is to remedy that perpetuation then perhaps not wearing that garb would be the way to go? I don’t personally have a problem with the acvitity or the garb…until someone complains about the photographer taking a picture of them wearing the garb that they chose to wear while participating in the activity!
@Hardcore - Certainly no one is forcing you to consume such images or media and so I am confused as to why you would even comment on such a topic. If it is offensive to you that is a fair point, but then why involve yourself in it? It’s okay to like it Hardcore, it’s a very competitive sport and a great display of athleticism
. I would encourage you to solidify your argument before you post it again, but then again, who am I to judge someone or something i barley know?
@Flying - I am not sure if you are aware of the definition of perpetuate, but it can be defined as a continuation or prolonging. I am sure the writer is aware that derby may lead to the type of stereotype you mention, however I would speculate that her domain concern is that the garb and choice of clothing is not all there is to derby. It would seem she speaks to the fact that it would be great to bring to light the rest of derby instead of the things people who know nothing about it see.
Just my two cents.
I find the roller derby garb to be offensive against taste and decency
No offence meant but if it’s the picture I saw I did not find it offensive in any way…that said, it is roller derby after all and you are wearing fishnet stockings and low cut tops….and you are offended because you think someone might take this as sexual in some way? Ya…they might.
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