Poker Journalism, Fashion, and the Male Gaze

CarmenSinCity's coverage for PokerWorks of the Ladies No-Limit Hold'em Championship earlier this week at the World Series of Poker at first glance has little to do with that Aaron Hendrix's live reporting of the same event. But both writeups pissed me off, and when I think about it, they piss me off for similar reasons.

CarmenSinCity's piece is a fashion critique of the players. It's all about how women are supposed to look good. Her choices of who looks best are this anonymous woman with her tits resting on the rail, and Evelyn Ng, showing off her bare belly. Looking good, it turns out, means looking good for the Male Gaze.

Here she goes after bracelet-holding tournament pro Kathy Liebert;

PokerWorks

Okay Kathy, we get it (above). Everyone knows that you are a serious poker player and you don't need to flash any cleavage to get respect. Yes, we understand that respect is earned and looking good is definitely not a necessity at the poker table. However, would it hurt to slap on a little mascara, some blush and maybe an outfit that matched? Come on, lift that hat up a little and show us that pretty smile. You know you wanna! I'm pretty sure Change100's (link) offer for a makeover is still open. It'll be fun!! We can have a pajama party afterwards. Hey - that could be a whole new article for me!! Give it some thought and get back to us Kathy.

Note that Liebert is wearing what is pretty much the tournament poker pro's uniform: T-shirt and baseball cap, with music player, headphones, and sunglasses in front of her on the table.

It isn't respect that women earn flashing cleavage, either at the poker table or away from it. How much respect would it earn in a "Ladies'" tournament? Why bother with mascara? Most of the time her eyes are going to be hidden behind those wraparound sunglasses. Carmen has no idea at all how Liebert presents herself away from the table. Her recommendation of a makeover is simply out of line.

CarmenSinCity is using her journalistic powers of approval, disapproval, and humiliation to dragoon women who play poker into compliance with her standards of beauty, attractiveness, and presentation. The goal of fashion, apparently, is to enhance and facilitate male desire.

A person who would look at Carmen's pictures of Liebert or of Patti Beadles and think, "I'd do her...." would be eccentric; but it wouldn't be at all surprising to find a commenter on a popular blog or on the 2+2 forums saying such a thing about Evelyn Ng. or Ms. Tits-on-the-Rail.

Carmen's fashion coverage is not "I'd do her" journalism, but the two are different facets of the same thing.

(via Patti Beadles)