Last month, 18-year-old Allison Stoke, the two-time California state champion and national record-holder for pole vaulting, wanted to share her love of her sport with the world. So, she posted a three minute video of herself discussing her pole vaulting techniques on Youtube, and has since become an instant internet celebrity. Unfortunately, it's not because her techniques were brilliant, or because it was wildly entertaining, but because the internet is filled with a bunch of perverted old men.
Within just days of her posting the video, innocent photos of her pole vaulting were plastered all over the internet, on websites that had nothing to do with the sport. The online sexual harassment and leering Allison has caused her to even be afraid to leave the house, and her Dad spends his nights checking the internet for potential stalkers.
A picture of Allison was even sent to Matt Ufford, a New York sports blogger, who posted it on his site, WithLeather.com, which bore the headline: “Pole Vaulting is Sexy, Barely Legal.” Mr.Ufford also wrote a rather disgusting remark about Allison's video: She takes pole vaulting so seriously that she’s unable to detect sarcasm. Which is too bad, because missing sarcastic remarks ends our steamy, illicit romance before it’s even begun. That, and the age difference. And the restraining order." He's so charming? Is he single? Another blogger has even suggested that Allison "is a pole vault champion who would look perfectly comfortable doing pole dance instead". What is with men and poles?
Allison's fame has even reached the Washington Post, and in an interview with the paper, Allison said: "I worked so hard for pole vaulting and all this other stuff, and it’s almost like that doesn't matter. Nobody sees that. Nobody really sees me." It's so sad to think that some female athletes purposely try to reach the Hottie Athlete status, and people like Allison would rather actually be known for their sport. (Amanda Beard, are you listening?) Her father has done his best to remove the now famous photo of her that has been floating around, but that hasn't stopped her perverted fan base from starting up fan club websites. (I wonder if PolePerverts.com is taken?) As one potential member said: “The first one to get one of her naked wins my permanent membership."
It's pretty pathetic that this poor girl is being sexually harassed and idolized online, simply because of how she looks. From what we can tell, she had no "Omg I'm so hawt, look at me!!" intentions when she posted her video what-so-ever. So why are these men being so disgusting? Is it because there's a pole? Because she's young? Because it's online and they can get away with it? Hopefully this all calms down...sooner, than later.
Cate Sevilla is the Assistant Editor of Dollymix, and regular contributor to Shiny blogs. It's stories like this that make her want to give up being human sometimes.
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Never heard of her til you mentioned it. She's cute - and that's why some are making comments about it. It's unfortunate that some people will take that to extremes. I for one, wish Allison the best at overcoming this - to be the best pole vaulter(sp?) you can be. And please remember Allison (and Cate) not everyone on the web will take this to such extremes - some of us on the web are decent people.