This weekend, Frenchman and France’s third-most famous boarder Arthur Longo posted an Instagram video of himself tapping the asses of ski bunnies as he rode by. If you somehow missed it, better watch it now, it’s amusing:
Now we all had a good chuckle about this, reposted it, and then immediately forgot about as most people do in the Internet age. But apparently our readership is bigger than just 15 year old boys (and grown men who act like them.) In fact, it seems girls read this site now! Did you know they are allowed to snowboard? Anyway, while we’re being old fashioned, a few feathers have been ruffled by this video. And since we always like to let the people speak, here’s a letter from a (former) reader.
Dear Brooke,
I am writing this email to you in response to a video that Yobeat recently posted. It involves rider Arthur Longo being filmed slapping women on the ass while he’s on the slopes. Seriously? What the fuck? In the comments someone writes a comment that can be basically summed up as “he knows them, so it’s ok”. Nowhere in the video is it stated that he’s slapping female friends on the ass and not strangers. And who gives a shit if he does know them? I am so angry and disappointed that a company dedicated to the joys of riding would post a video that makes some riders feel like second class citizens. As a female rider, this video feels like a slap in the face. You may as well put up as banner on your page that says “Women riders don’t matter! Feel free to sexually harass them and touch their bodies without permission! Oh, but make sure to film it so we can post it and get a million likes on Facebook!” I work in the industry and i can tell you from personal experience that male riders heavily outweigh female riders; I’m sure that incidents like this contribute to that fact. Female riders don’t go the slopes to be sexually harassed. In fact, I’d say that most of them go there so they can forget about shit like that. To forget about their bad day, their shitty boss, the asshole creep on the street who told them to “smile, baby”. You should be teaching males to have respect for their female counterparts on the slopes, NOT that we are somehow there for their entertainment. Not that they can feel free to touch the private areas of our bodies without permission. I’m disappointed in you Yobeat. You have just lost a long-time supporter and I will absolutely be sharing this fucked-up blunder on your part. I expected more from you.
Angry and upset.
Five words we never thought we’d hear at Yobeat: “I expected more from you.”