Can sex objects be respected?
Yesterday, Playboy has decided it will no longer publish nude photos. For me, as a model who spent 10 years in the world of glamour - this is a sad day. It's a sad day because doing nude photos for me, was a choice, a decision I made in my career and one, which I am still incredibly proud of. However, the news breaking has made me think.
In my career right now, I am trying to be taken seriously in the world of sports - which as you can imagine, is a whole new ball game. Pun intended.
How I look, act and sound is very different to how I was judged before and it made me think of respect and objectifying.
As a glamour model, I was called Brandy Brewer. I had over 100,000 twitter followers who would reply and retweet every sexy photo or cheeky status I posted. When I moved into Sports, an area I was passionate about since a child, I decided to ditch my old stage name. I felt that it would tarnish my chances in my new career. And, I would be right.
Since the move into sports, my entire image has had to change, and as a result, I've lost fans and popularity. I'm trying to be more respected, I've found it pretty hard to deal with all the change and often thought shall I just go back to being sexy and not respected.
But why can't I do both!
Why can't I flaunt what my mama made and still be an intelligent, passionate sports presenter?
Why can't I be in a position of power and still get my body out if I want to? There should be no shame in it. I'm happy and proud of my body and love getting attention for it. (I would say here that I work hard for it, but as a wotsit falls into the keyboard I find myself just not being able to lie to you.)
I feel our life choices are being taken away from us women moreso now than ever before. To me, Playboy is an international timeless institution, which is now culling their nude shoots! That's the whole point of Playboy! If you ask me, celebrities know they've made it when they get that call to be a centrefold.
With the Suffragette film out, Playboy ditching the nude shots, and with feminism rightly so, the talk of the town, I ask you, is banning something going to empower women? Or is allowing women all over the world to aspire to whatever they want empowering?
I want to be sexy and adored, yet respected. It shouldn't have to be either or.
I would love to be a highly respected and talented sports presenter but also win FHM's sexiest woman for instance now is that wrong of me? These are my aspirations and I hate feeling like they aren't good enough.
Sadly, I feel like I have to separate myself so much from my previous career, almost be a prude to be taken seriously, and even with all that then there's always someone who will pipe up and remind me what career I used to do - as if it is something I should be embarrassed about.
I've lost out on a few presenting jobs due to my previous career. Why does it mean I am not worthy or knowledgeable in sport because I used to have a career in glamour modelling? Why is it one or the other?
I am judged before I have even opened my mouth.
Is that feminism?