When Bias Trumps Hard Work and Body Autonomy

We've come a long in the emancipation of women. And today, they can enjoy opportunities that their peers in the past couldn't even dream about. But the restrictive barriers that have dogged women for centuries, in fact, exist in some form today.

Still, if we had to pick a single person who's endured prejudice because of their gender, it's sad that the list would be too long to make the decision an easy one. But we have here a young, talented woman, doing what she clearly loves. And the question is this―how exactly did Allison Stokke become the unwilling victim of bias?

Where Would We Be Without Cameras?

It all began with a photograph. Now that is a simple sentence with so many connotations. But whatever you have running through your mind couldn't be farther from the truth. As for Stokke, she could never have imagined that a single image could change the trajectory of her life.

Pictures have always been relevant. As individuals and a society, we've always enjoyed capturing moments. Because after time has passed, and your memory can't be relied upon to tell the whole story, a photograph can always be trusted to fill in the gaps, or can it?

A Picture Worth a Thousand Words

The advent of the internet has only increased the relevance of pictures. Because when they say a picture is worth a thousand words, they're not wrong. Until not so long ago, only a small section of people could access photos from a sporting event. Now, the internet has ensured that almost anyone can see nearly anything with just a few clicks.

And once a photo goes viral, it becomes almost impossible for the subject of the picture to have any privacy. Because thanks to the incurable curiosity of humans, most can't resist prying into the lives of those they consider 'famous.'

Photos Can Also Implicate the Innocent

Sadly, Stokke didn't do anything wrong. As you can see, she's got that girl-next-door image down pat. And like every other girl at the event, she was only excited to be doing what she loved. Not only did she love her chosen sport, but she was also pretty good at it

But everyone knows that motivation does not often matter once a narrative has been attached to a picture. And though many may have envied the attention Stokke ended up getting, they couldn't possibly imagine the pressure that came attached.

A Girl With Lofty Dreams

Every child has a dream. And while the fanciful imaginings of young children rarely ever ripen into reality, a few lucky ones end up chasing their dreams. Although many career options were available to her in life, Stokke decided that she would become an athlete early on.

They say we, as people, are usually shaped by a mix of nature and nurture. And since no one can tell if love for sports can be passed on through genes, it's relatively easy to assume that nurture is the winning factor here.

A Girl Discovers Her Niche

Unless you were raised within a family of athletes, it would be almost impossible for you to relate to Stokke's reality. But she was happy enough to have a brother who was a national-level gymnast. Especially as it meant she got to have a role model.

So when gymnastics didn't exactly stick, she didn't relent. High School was a time for adventures, after all. So she had all the time in the world to figure out what suited her best. And once she tried her hand at pole vaulting, Stokke knew she'd found her thing.

All or Nothing

Pole vaulting looks easy enough when you're watching from the sidelines. But for the athletes who devote all their time and energy towards perfecting the skill, it must be challenging and exhilarating, and worth the effort.

Stokke must have felt the same way. Because nothing else can explain how eagerly she threw herself into that world. And though many may say that pole vaulting is no different from every other track and field event, to her, it was something more. And when you have a skill like she did, all you want to do is nurture it.

Allison Stokke the Go-getter

Just like a plant requires sun, water, and nutrients to grow, an athlete must put in lots of dedication to excel at their chosen sport. And you would have been hard-pressed to find anyone more dedicated than Stokke.

During her first year in high school, she broke the school record under the category of age 15/16, when she scaled a height of 12'8". And for those who know next to nothing about pole vaulting, that's quite a jump. In fact, it was just enough to win her the US championship that year.

Setting and Breaking Records

But the national high school rankings were just the beginning. Anyone can set a new record, you would think. But Stokke decided that she wouldn't relent until she broke her own records and set multiple new precedents,

And the world didn't have to wait too long for that to happen. The very next year, in 2005, Stokke broke her previous record by scaling 13'5.75". And when a first-year student sets a new record and repeats her magic in her sophomore year, people are bound to pay attention. Regrettably, it was the wrong kind.

An Athlete and a Photographer Cross Paths

Stokke's story begins with a picture taken in 2007. She was 17, at the start of her clearly successful career, and more than ready to take on the world. Before then, she'd already broken five pole vault records in the United States, and at that moment, she was ready for another big win.

But what she wouldn't know was that as determined as she was, so was someone else. A photographer stood somewhere on the sidelines, looking to take as many photos as he could at that busy sporting event. And soon enough, Stokke became his sole focus.

The Moment That Changed Everything

So there she was, mentally preparing to take that leap. And there he was, the lone photographer, tilting his lens towards her, preparing for that click. There are so many moments in life that change you. Moments you don’t even realize until afterward.

This was one such moment. To Stokke, it was just another sporting event, another chance to prove herself. And for the photographer, it was just another event. Another opportunity to chronicle the prowess of young athletes. But for both of them, it was the start of a whole new chapter.

Stokke Loses Her Identity

We all have to admit that the world of sports is not as evenly scaled as we would love it to be. Men are placed on a pedestal for their talents and skills. But women are required to constantly prove themselves. And even then, most people are more interested in their physique than their skills.

So when a lone photo of Stokke ended up on the internet that day in 2007, it set off a tidal wave. Everyone wanted to know who that young and attractive girl was. And suddenly, her identity as a pole vaulter was relegated to the background. She was simply a beautiful girl everyone wanted to stare at.

You Only Know Half the Story

The photographer probably didn’t intend the ripple effect of his actions. After all, he was only doing his job. And more than 2,000 miles away, Stokke’s parents were unaware that things were about to change for their little girl.

Now, you know the story of the young, talented athlete who had her photo taken during her track meet in New York. Of course, you know that she was in her senior year of high school and very passionate about pole vaulting. But no one can imagine how great an effect that photo had on her life and career.

Stokke Displays Determination

This photo was taken from a video where an excited Stokke explained her process of getting into the right frame of mind before each event. She also talked about how important it is for her to stay relaxed and remember her training.

After seeing her speak, you wouldn't believe that she'd broken her tibia the previous season. Or that she'd spent the whole summer doing physical therapy. In fact, throughout that exchange, you can just see her enthusiasm for the sport. And how eager she was to heal so she could get back to doing what she loved.

Unwanted Attention or Unforeseen Publicity?

Fast forward to that time in 2007 when Stokke's photo was added to a Californian field and track website. It was soon reposted on a sports blog with a mainly male audience. So you can just imagine the focus of their conversation.

Everyone wants to be recognized for their work. So when all the attention is placed on how good a person looks or how well they look in an outfit, it feels more derogatory than complimentary. And Stokke wasn't excited to wake up and see that she'd suddenly become an internet phenomenon and a burning focus of the male gaze.

The Drawbacks of Visibility

After multiple retweets and reposts, the internet was on fire for Allison Stokke. And back home in California, she was left to deal with this newfound and largely unwanted attention. Social media vixens and models want to be known because visibility is a big part of their job.

But for young Stokke, who only wanted to make a career out of pole vaulting, being so visible did more harm than good. Imagine going about your normal day-to-day activities and being accosted by photographers taking photos from inappropriate angles. Doesn't sound like fun, does it?

Stokke Buckles Under Pressure

It might have been slightly better if she had been older and more prepared to handle the pressure. But no 17-year-old girl who becomes an instant celebrity could ever be ready to cope with such newfound fame. Especially when this fame is borne out of their looks.

Because right then, Stokke was no longer a unique individual. To the internet, she merely existed for them. As a result, people felt entitled to her time and personal space. They wanted her to be grateful to them for the attention they were giving her.

A Loss of Innocence

Remember that young girl who eagerly shared her recovery story? Well, she was nowhere to be found. That girl wanted to be recognized for her pole vaulting exploits and to be given more opportunities to prove herself. She wanted to participate in championships and add her name to some hall of fame.

But after that photo, Stokke was no longer that girl. Instead, she became sad, confused, and withdrawn. As one would expect, Stokke couldn't cope with the stalking and the persistent requests for autographs. She couldn't deal with not doing what she loved without being labeled and objectified.

How Far Is Far Enough?

Most people like to think that how a woman dresses is often to blame for any unwanted attention she receives. But history has proven time and again that this is entirely untrue.

And we don't know what you'd expect a pole vaulter to wear to a sporting event, but it couldn't be more appropriate than this outfit Stokke had on. Of course, a tank top and shorts are the typical clothes anyone would wear to compete. But none of this mattered to the individuals who became enamored with her. And her age mattered even less.

A Glimmer of Hope in the Darkness

When it rains, it pours. But sometimes, as the heavy downpour fades into a drizzle, you can see the sun peek out from behind a heavy cloud. And that ray of sunshine puts a smile on your face. Because right then, you know things will get better again.

Stokke got her ray of sunshine, all right. All that internet fame put her on the radar of some notable organizations. And those brands saw her for what she truly was, a young, skilled athlete, albeit a really famous one. And that was the right kind of attention. Because it brought so many opportunities her way.

Other Battles Are Being Waged

Meanwhile, Chris Hansen, host of the NBC series, "To Catch a Predator," had a predator in his sights. And Matt Ufford wasn't excited about that sort of attention. Which we find ironic because Ufford was the blogger who'd made disturbing remarks about the physical attractiveness of 17-year-old Stokke.

Hansen had made it his mission to catch and detain male adults who had unusual intentions towards underage people. So when he caught wind of Ufford's activities online, he was understandably upset and allegedly left him one too many threatening voicemails. You'll agree a blog post with the headline "The pole vault is sexy, barely legal" is all shades of awkward.

Dealing With the Consequences

Interestingly, the photographer who'd taken that photo of Stokke also had to deal with a few issues. Saddened and surprised by the Stokke controversy, he made a desperate attempt to bury the case. We can't say if threatening to sue Matt Ufford was the right move. Because as far as we know, his threats fell on deaf ears.

Ufford did not remove Stokke's photo from his website. Even if he had, nothing could be done about the host of other websites and blogs that had also published the image. The same could be said for those who had downloaded them.

How Low Can One Go?

But it doesn't take a genius to see how much was wrong with Ufford's original post. From the derogatory title to the less than authentic prose, some might call him self-obsessed. And he does seem like a person who feels everyone else ought to be grateful to hear his opinion on a subject.

Sadly, a good number of visitors to his page shared the same point of view. There were a lot of off-toned comments and predatory remarks about Stokke's body. And we honestly can't believe that we live in a world where people don't understand why it's so wrong to objectify a person.

Stokke Says Goodbye to Her Old Life

Stokke had to turn her back on many things during this period in her life. Her family was contacted for interviews by magazines and media outlets from all over. And when they agreed to honor such a request, it was the same old story—Stokke was devastated and spiraling.

Eli Saslow of "The Washington Post" published an article in May 2007 that recounted how the incident had affected Stokke. She also described how much attention Stokke was getting even within her community. And how she kept herself indoors and never left the house alone.

Rising From the Ashes

But Stokke didn’t let all that negative attention get in the way of her pole vaulting career. Yes, she may have had a few moments where she struggled to keep going, but with the help of her family and lots of positive reinforcement, she got right back up!

Winning an athletic scholarship to the University of California was the first of many achievements. And once she joined the California Golden Bears Team, she went right back to breaking records. And by her second year, she succeeded in breaking her previous record once again.

A Supportive Family Makes All the Difference

While Stokke got back into the game, her family was working hard to control the situation and ensure that her internet popularity didn't spiral into something more. But once a Facebook page surfaced, with the tag 'Allison Stokke Fans,' it seemed like there was nothing else they could do.

As you'd expect, the worried family petitioned Facebook to take down the page. But that didn't stop many other similar groups from cropping up. And though none of it was illegal, it was all very demeaning. And Stokke felt like nobody could see the real her, the athlete.

Ufford Has His Say

On his part, Ufford didn't feel much regret about the events that were taking place. He was a self-proclaimed comedy writer. So he must have enjoyed the residual fame that Stokke's popularity brought his way.

He also got the chance to speak with reporters from different media brands, which must have been quite the highlight. But, of course, the internet now is no different from how it was back then in 2007. Because anyone would still do anything for a few minutes of fame, even if it meant hurting someone else.

Justification and Disrespect

When Saslow from the Washington Post spoke to Ufford, he continued to justify his actions. He explained that while he understood people's aggravation at the sort of content put out on his blog each week, he couldn't exactly be blamed.

Apparently, being a comedy writer meant he would always offend someone's sensibilities. And rather than taking their criticisms to heart, he simply considered such comments as feedback on his work. Ufford also said he'd feel lucky if he had a daughter who was getting such recognition and attention from people all over the internet.

When Does It End?

As much as we'd like to criticize Ufford for his callousness, his behavior is not exactly a one-off. In fact, Stokke's story sheds a bright light on a subset of men who fetishize attractive female athletes and shift the focus from their talent to their physical attributes.

So while male athletes will continue to be recognized for their dedication to their chosen sport, female athletes usually have to work twice as hard. Maybe someday soon, the obsession with the female body will wane. And every sportsperson would be appreciated for how well they get the job done rather than how well they look doing it.