Feminism Coming Last

Racing in her second NASCAR nationwide race this past weekend - Danica Patrick - finished 26th out of 31st - which she claimed was disappointment but to be expected as a rookie NASCAR driver. Patrick, a star in the IndyCar circuit is transitioning into NASCAR racing and has a large following that has helped her ink the two-year contract with JR Motorsports this past year.

Her fans are thrilled of the new venture.

But lets make it very clear for everyone; Patrick is a lousy driver and has made all her earnings off of her appearance as a darling. A women can garner top media headlines in the first two NASCAR races without having any meaningful driving accomplishments speaks to how easily women are objectified within sporting circles.

She isn't talented enough to be in the top tier of drivers in IndyCar or NASCAR, has only won a single race in five years and has never come in the top three in any race in years. The only accomplishment she has on her record is that she is able to play into the idea of people have of women in Racing and in sports in general; female athletes are not competitive and garner their earnings through the exploitation of their sexuality.

Well done sweetheart.

Danica Patrick's actions are reckless - instead of challenging the current gender dynamics that persist in sports - she is abiding by them and reinforcing them. No one expects her to be competitive, no one expects her to win races or even come close - because she never has. Yet there is a clear understanding that the only expectation that can fully be realized is - Patrick - will do what it takes to capitalize on her sexuality rather than her talents.

Go Daddy!

It is unclear what ambitions Patrick truly has - we know that there is a sizable portion of her fan group that are young women who aspire to be like her. It is important for Patrick to acknowledge openly that her celebrity is merited on her sexuality more than her accomplishments. It is her obligation to her fans, the young women that follow her and to the countless women athletes who have actually accomplished meaningful careers, that Patrick acknowledge her popularity as a athlete has very little to do with her athleticism - but rather by the exploitation of her gender.

She isn't a fraud - she is a women athlete that is making it harder for talented women athletes to break the barriers of equal perception... so maybe Patrick is a fraud.