There always seems to be some group of uptight holier-than-thou assholes that have to rain on someones parade.
This time those assholes are Yogi’s that where offended by a new Equinox ad promoting their new yoga classes. The video stars Briohny Smyth a yoga teacher and former child star from Asia. The ad features Briohny in her underwear performing yoga in her bedroom while a man [possibly her fiance] sleeps in the bed. The commercial has come under fire for being too sexual and even offensive to some for objectifying women.
A couple things that need to be cleared up. One, Briohny says she was given complete artistic freedom during the shoot. And they agreed that doing the yoga in her skivvies would show off the moves and ultimately the lines of her body best. Agreed.
Secondly, during an interview with The Huntington Post she describes her unfortunate battle with a poor self image and the lengths that the people around her wanted her to go for fame. She credits yoga for helping her through the toughest points of her life.
And lastly, yoga seems pretty damn sexual to me! Tight little booty shorts, the slow movements, the sweat, the intimacy. Am I right? Hot yoga anyone? Nude yoga. There are even countless galleries dedicated to women in tight yoga pants. Like thisone or this one and even this one.
I don’t feel anyone is being objectified.
I also, don’t know if it’s so much that people are raining on their parade. It’s that Yoga is not so much about appearances but about feeling and being. These ads are all about appearances.
It’s a lot of look at me, look at what I can do.. It’s not about Yoga.
Not everyone is going to go to the length of reading about the models background or their story. Obviously the picture came first.
I’m no Yogi but I do know that ‘true’ yoga is about feeling and being as you put it but most yoga studios or gyms that offer a yoga program market it the same way all other forms of fitness are marketed as a way to ‘improve’ your appearance.