Sports Illustrated published its first swimsuit edition in 1964. Since then, its annually released issue has become iconic in American culture. Every year, the anticipation grows further, with fans wondering what the magazine will do to top previous editions.

This year, the swimsuit issue generated so much buzz prior to its release that the front page leaked early. Wearing a tiny, cleavage-baring winter coat and barely there bikini bottoms, Kate Upton graces the cover for the second year in a row.

Time Warner, owner of Sports Illustrated, counts on the magazine to bring profit in a time when digital media is taking over print. Though the February issue seems to be tailored specifically to a male audience, research done by the magazine shows an estimated 18 million readers of the swimsuit edition are women.

In an attempt to reach out to these female readers, Sports Illustrated included a new feature in this year’s edition. The “Secrets of Swimsuit” section targets its female audience with tips on how to get sexy beach appeal.

The magazine gives advice on how to achieve the looks of supermodels. Instead of letting the general female population accept they will never resemble what they see in the magazines, Sports Illustrated suggests that if we just try hard enough, we can do it.

It would take more than a little homemade makeover to recreate the contents of this month’s issue. But according to M.J. Day, editor of the swimsuit edition, the tips were all things “everyday beautiful women can do at home.” Right.

She made the mistake of using “everyday beautiful” to describe the entire female population. It is expected for women to be beautiful, or at least want to be. She seems to suggest that if a woman is not generically attractive, she should work on her appearance until she’s reached some level of compromise.

In terms of beauty, the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition is a cultural rulebook on female sexuality. It is hard not to compare when looking at such magazines and models in the media. The swimsuit issue was made for men, so logically, from a female standpoint, it must be the epitome of what men want.

Sports Illustrated may rely on their February issue for revenue and press, but they shouldn’t. The magazine is well respected otherwise, and has gained recognition for the more serious issues it covers. It has produced noted articles, like this January’s issue discussing head trauma in football.

Monthly articles like this are the reason for the success of Sports Illustrated. This magazine is trusted in the athletic world, and is better than its competition because of the quality of its content.

Though the swimsuit edition is popular among its followers, it has absolutely nothing to do with what the magazine represents. It started in order to distinguish the magazine during the winter months when sports news was limited. But now that the publication is well-established, it no longer needs to depend on the swimsuit issue to carry it through.

Tradition is a great American value, and this argument doesn’t end with a list of reasons why the February issue should no longer exist. But it does exemplify the reliability the media industry has on sexuality as a commodity.

This year marks the swimsuit edition’s 49^th year. Its popularity has only increased during that span, and fans can’t get enough. Competitive sports and beautiful women are embedded in American culture – Sports Illustrated just figured that out earlier than most.

Paris Bethel is a sophomore advertising major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at [email protected].

Published on February 27, 2013 at 1:30 am