When the women's world cup was held in America in 1999 there was a lot of hype going on. I wasn't really into the whole soccer scene but I still remember how big of a deal it was that the women's soccer team made it to the championship game. I don't remember watching the game but I do remember the big ordeal when Brandi Chastain scored the final PK shot and took her shirt off. No one had ever seen a woman do such a thing during a sporting event. Her doing this led to many controversies, but overall I think it had a positive impact.
Women's sports had never really been a big deal in America until this point. Title IX was passed in the 70's but even then it wasn't really enforced. However, after the US team won the women's world cup in 1999, women's sports in America started to rise. When Chastain took her shirt off on the field, it sent a message saying that they are no different from men, it showed women to be proud of who they are and not to allow anyone to keep them down anymore.
Chastain and many other female athletes began to pose naked, but cover up the important parts, for magazines to show that they are strong women. They didn't think of it as showing that they were vulnerable, but that they were strong and proud of who they are. The women that were posing had such good bodies because of the sports they play and just want to show that. I do not have an issue with them posing like this. Also, the sex appeal that they are giving off is going to attract more people to watch their sports. So much of America and sports today is on sex appeal that it should not be a problem to those ladies to pose naked.
I agree that it was good to see the U.S. women gain exposure for their success in the 1999 Women's World Cup (and again in 2011). I'm still not sure that posing naked enhances the interest in women's sports. It may encourage males to be interested in the females who pose that way. But I doubt if there is a significant increase in attention paid to women's sports.
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