LAHORE: Former captain of Pakistan women’s cricket team Sana Mir slammed the advertisement promoting the objectification and body shaming of women.
Reportedly, Mir was talking about a hair removing cream advertisement, which shows the skin smoothness of women is a plus point for her on the sports field.
In a Facebook post, the former captain criticised the ad, stating: “To all young girls out there who aspire to take up sports. Make no mistake: you need strong arms, not smooth arms, on a sports field. “
Mir, who had led Pakistani team in numerous international tournaments, talked about the double standards of “celebrities and corporate sponsors” regarding the beauty standard of women. “We – corporate sponsors and celebrities – always talk about our concern regarding the objectification of women in different professional settings. It infuriates us most of the time. We see endless posts and statuses on social media expressing our anger. But when it’s time to walk the talk, I have seen very few sponsors or celebrities actually take a stand to support women being comfortable in their own skin.”
She further wrote that one such advertisement has forced her to write with her concern that “latest campaign by a company promoting a hair removal cream.”
“I have come to know that it’s a campaign for both Pakistan and India. It’s magnifying a girl’s concern about how she looks on a basketball court. The worst thing is that instead of sending a message to young girls that the colour or texture of their skin does not matter, we are promoting body shaming and objectification,” she wrote.
About being offered such advertisements, Mir wrote: “During my 12 years as a sportswoman in Pakistan, I have rejected several offers to endorse beauty products just for this reason: I want young girls with a passion for sports to know that all they need for a practice session are the will to succeed, comfortable shoes and clothes, a water bottle and a cap if it’s hot.”
The all-arounder maintained: “There are female sports icons around the world who have made their way to the top because of their skill, talent and hard work, not because of the colour or texture of their skin.”
“Make no mistake: you need strong arms, not smooth arms, on a sports field,” she concluded.
