Young women in bikinis posing around an older man– That’s an image we might expect to see in a music video or a beer commercial, not an official social media account operated by our University.
When we look at this photo, we feel deeply uncomfortable. We see one of the most powerful men at our school, shirtless, hand wrapped around a student’s bare waist.
Many others feel as we do, and because of these reactions, the post was deleted just three hours later.
Football head coach Tim Beck responded to backlash by claiming it was a “spontaneous event.” Even if the media coordinator didn’t plan to get the dance team in matching swimwear for a photo-op with the head coach, that doesn’t make this “spontaneous” decision less weird.
There are no other pictures of the dance team on the football team’s Instagram, but when their clothes are (mostly) off, they finally get a mention.
As many are likely to point out, it’s just a photo, but a picture is worth a thousand words. It says the quiet part out loud — these women aren’t asked to perform in a male space because of their athletic or artistic abilities, but because they’re nice to look at. The photo has also reached national headlines, with thousands of people now knowing about our school for all the wrong reasons.
Based on comments from those involved, the photo was not deleted because they realized it was a mistake, but because people responded negatively. It’s embarrassing that this is what our school is currently known for via sources including TMZ.
In the future, we hope that women athletes at our University make headlines for their talent and accomplishments rather than their bodies for spectacle.
Editorial policy for The Chanticleer
The editorial page of Coastal Carolina University’s student newspaper, The Chanticleer, is committed to upholding the principles of free speech and open expression. It aims to foster a marketplace of ideas where individuals can share their thoughts, opinions and viewpoints freely. All editorials are merely the collective opinion of the editorial board of The Chanticleer, currently consisting of the members of the executive board. The editorial page and all content in The Chanticleer do not reflect the opinion of the reporting staff or of Coastal Carolina University. Contributors are encouraged to submit responsibly, ensuring accuracy and avoiding hate speech. The editorial team maintains independence, distinguishing between opinion and news, and reserves the right to edit for clarity while upholding a commitment to diverse perspectives. While the editorial page is a space for opinion pieces, factual accuracy remains crucial. Feedback from readers is welcome, promoting a dynamic exchange of ideas within a respectful and inclusive environment. This policy is subject to periodic review to ensure its continued relevance and effectiveness.
Sandra • Jan 22, 2024 at 4:38 pm
By turning a group of smart, talented, beautiful young women into men is obviously fulfilling a woke political agenda supported by the University, Editorial Board, and Illustrator. An innocent beach photo, that also includes the school mascot, is somehow offensive but you don’t think your ridiculous cartoon is offensive? Think again! The university has allowed one group of students to slander another group of students to further demonize the dance team. This is clearly a biased incident and should be looked upon as such – hiding behind a disclaimer doesn’t protect anyone involved in the defamation of these young women. I urge you to educate yourself on the teams GPA’s, rigorous practice schedule, community outreach, and volunteer programs they are involved in and challenge yourselves to be as dedicated to something good rather than hate. In my opinion, the only spectacle here is this amateur run newspaper.
Karen Jones • Jan 22, 2024 at 1:39 pm
Wow – drawing this team as men … i have never seen a group of female “journalists “ be more hateful toward other females in my life ! I see that you added a disclaimer on the online version. However , the print version i have didn’t have that after thought attached. Sometimes opinions this disrespectful should be kept to oneself and shouldn’t be printed. I can promise you if that was my image altered like that – there would be a lawsuit and a Title IX investigation started.
Sandra • Jan 22, 2024 at 12:20 pm
By turning a group of smart, talented, beautiful women into men is obviously fulfilling a woke political agenda the Editorial Board, Illustrator, and University are trying to prove. An innocent beach picture, that includes the mascot, is somehow offensive but you don’t think your ridiculous cartoon is offensive? Think again. The university has allowed one group of students to slander another group of students in a weak stance of a biased incident. Hiding behind a disclaimer doesn’t protect you. I urge you to check their GPA’s, rigorous practice schedule, community outreach, and volunteer programs they are involved in and challenge yourselves to be as dedicated and strong.
Regina • Jan 18, 2024 at 8:21 pm
What school newspaper targets their own peers in a slanderous article like this ? You want to empower women – try not shoving them down. Try an article about how these girls are more than pretty faces. It is how about a story that these official athletes should have an NIL deal for this picture and the merchandise being sold with their images. How about an article pushing your school to defend the innocence of the picture instead of hiding and hoping that every wannabe journalist can try to make a story where there isn’t one. And at the expense of other women. I believe women should defend each other. And in case you haven’t heard . It’s ok to be talented , smart … oh and … beautiful. Confident women are who i support.
Danielle • Jan 18, 2024 at 3:53 pm
Your cartoon and your article are both offensive to say the least! The disclaimer is no substitute for the fact of your original intention to discredit, shame and disrespect your fellow peers.