Former Pakistani women cricket team captain, Sana Mir has criticized advertisements promoting body shaming and objectification of women.
Sana Mir took to Facebook to express her angst against hair removal and body-shaming ads that are aired especially in Pakistan and India. The 32 year old decided to post a critical message on Facebook after noticing Mahira Khan’s campaign that promoted a hair removal cream.
She sent out a strong message to budding young cricketers starting by saying this: “Make no mistake: you need strong arms, not smooth arms, on a sports field.”
Mir said, “It’s magnifying a girl’s concern about how she looks on a basketball court. The worst thing is that instead of sending a message to young girls that the color or texture of their skin does not matter, we are promoting body shaming and objectification.”
Mir questions in her post, “Are the talent, passion, and skill of a girl not enough for her to play sports?”
Sana Mir further points out that there are female sports icons that have proved that their athletic status is the outcome of their skills and hard work, not their smooth skin. She also emphasized that media should inspire young girls to participate in sports and healthy activities.
The expert cricketer said that, “During my 12 years as a sportswoman in Pakistan, I have rejected several offers to endorse beauty products just for this reason: I want young girls with a passion for sports to know that all they need for a practice session are the will to succeed, comfortable shoes and clothes, a water bottle and a cap if it’s hot.”
Mir concluded her post by saying, “I request all sponsors and celebrities to ensure that when we engage young girls to fulfill their dreams, we show them a path that gives them actual confidence rather than disabling them by making them self-conscious”