Sights Unseen

Our favorite pictures that didn’t run last year

Tiffany Brown

MAVERICKS | OCT. 23 Contestants pose backstage before a Sarah Palin look-alike contest at the Club Paradise strip club. At a uniquely Vegas-spirited event, Club Paradise held a contest for strippers vying to look like Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, the Alaska governor and former beauty queen. The contestants flexed their “maverick” spirit as they vied for the $10,000 cash prize and a trip to Washington, D.C., for the inauguration this month.

By Tiffany Brown (contact)

Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Sights Unseen by Tiffany Brown

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After almost two years of presidential campaign coverage I thought it appropriate to pull out a few of my politically themed pictures from the 100,000 or so images that I shot for the Sun — and on my own time — in 2008.

As I thought about what I would like to share from the photos that weren’t published in the paper this year, the Sarah Palin stripper look-alike contest immediately came to mind. Considering the energy and amount of focus we gave the presidential race these past two years, I thought I would let the look-alike contest set the tone. I also thought I’d share a few more unique moments from the mixed bag of political assignments I shot in 2008.

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER:

Tiffany Brown has been a staff photographer with the Sun since April 2006. Before that, she was a staff photographer at the Corvallis Gazette-Times in Oregon. When not charging around Southern Nevada with cameras for the Sun she can be found doing Ashtanga yoga, snowboarding or seeking new adventures most anywhere. She can be reached at 259-4063 or at tiffany.brown@lasvegassun.com.

Discussion: 5 comments so far…

By Justmy02

1/4/09 at 10:39 a.m.

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Why would a woman photographer feel it appropriate to post a picture of strippers posing in a Sarah Palin look-alike contest?

To begin with, it is demeaning to Gov. Palin, who has certainly taken more than her share of negative press toward herself and her family. Certainly there are much more flattering political photos that could have been chosen. Secondly, it is demeaning to women everywhere.

The 2008 campaign season proves sexism and misogyny flourish in this country and women are still second-class citizens in every area. Women will never be taken seriously so long as they willingly participate in activities that foster the perception they are objects rather than human beings with intelligence who have much more to offer than breasts and a vagina.

A woman journalist has a unique opportunity to foster a positive view of women. Instead this photographer chose to show them, as well as Gov. Palin, in a negative light.

I am very dissapointed.
By NancyKallitechnis

1/4/09 at 3:06 p.m.

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Tiffany Brown should apologize for this sexist article.

The basic principle of sexism is treating one gender group different and in a worse way. Women politicians are more often portrayed as sexual and less mental than men politicians, so that establishes that they are treated differently. For example, during the 2008 election Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin were often portrayed sexually but their male counterparts almost never were (http://tinyurl.com/6jz4ww). And <b>this different treatment, sexualization, lowers women politicians' status. </b>

Therefore, since this practice creates an environment where women are treated differently and in a worse way (lowers our status) it is prejudiced against women. The lowering of women's political status decreases women politicians' power, which means it makes it harder for them to get support, to raise funds, to get positive media, to get votes, etc. Thus, sexualizing women politicians incites people to treat them in a prejudiced way. And according to Wikipedia speech that incites prejudicial action against a group is hate speech.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech...
By Our_Linn

1/4/09 at 3:58 p.m.

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Plus, it's just a really bad photo.
By LVPaco

1/6/09 at 5:20 a.m.

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Tiffany do not let the comments above discourage you. They are just bitter because they do not look as good as Governor Palin. Your work is stellar... Let's hit the slopes soon!!!
By johnevegas

1/6/09 at 5:48 a.m.

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"Women will never be taken seriously so long as they willingly participate in activities that foster the perception they are objects rather than human beings with intelligence who have much more to offer than breasts and a vagina."

And yet you live in Las Vegas? Sin City? Hello?

By the way, my business partner is a woman. My wife is an executive. Both of these successful Las Vegas women visit strip clubs with there friends, just for fun. And neither one of them has suffered any ill effects from other women who take their clothes off.

Personally I consider men and women equally intelligent. Except George Bush of course. He's more equal but less intelligent.