Babes of Gencon 2003

[francisca]

Of course, now I'm picturing Gamers Gone Wild, which is mostly huge fat dudes with ponytails lifting up their shirts for the camera.... Blech.

Hey! I resemble that remark. Well, OK, no ponytail, but anyway.....

And I don't see anything wrong with the babes of gencon gallery, especially when the "sean protocol" is followed.

 

[Darth Shoju]

Hmm I have a picture of a woman (I believe her name was Betty Sanman [sp?]) dressed up as Bayushi Kachiko from Gencon 2001...any way I could get her added under that year?

 

[dagger]

I know two female lurkers on this board who don't have a problem with it..... One is actually going to Gencon and she says she wouldn't mind being a Booth Babe.

just for the record, some of us believe you are right p-kitty, i don't think erics grandma ever used the term "babe" for anything over the age of 1.

for those wishing him to lighten up, think for a moment about the female posters of the board. and no, don't think like a man in a womans body, try to actually put yourself in their shoes.

 

[KnowTheToe]

The term "booth babe" should not offend anyone. Most of them are hired models choosen because of thier looks and the world really is going to hell in a hand basket when models start complaining about being called babes and being judged by their looks.

 

[Utrecht]

The term "booth babe" should not offend anyone. Most of them are hired models choosen because of thier looks and the world really is going to hell in a hand basket when models start complaining about being called babes and being judged by their looks.

Whether or not the term offends anyone is not the point that I was trying to make. The term originated in the convention industry to describe hired flesh (as you describe above) - and was most assuradly used as an insulting term. Whether it has grown beyond that is cetainly debatable - but the simple fact is that the term is inherently insulting - and is meant to be.

That being said, I quite enjoyed having them in my booths, and plan of taking a voyeristic peek at the gallery.

 

[Amrynn Moonshadow]

the wife is a model who does conventions / shows / nascar races, whatever . . . she's done the booth thing.

doesn't like being a piece of meat, but honey, you sure as hell didn't get the model job for your personality . . .


anyway, keep the gallery clean, and have fun. personally i'd have two galleries, one for good costumes, regardless of gender, and one gallery called the 'meat locker' so people can get their eye candy drooling on in the privacy of their own homes.

it makes me ill to think about alot of the guys who stare at my wife and take pictures of her w/o asking beforehand. these models have feelings too.

sometimes they have b/f's and husbands who are also quite strong and violent.

 

[KnowTheToe]

Whether or not the term offends anyone is not the point that I was trying to make. The term originated in the convention industry to describe hired flesh (as you describe above) - and was most assuradly used as an insulting term. Whether it has grown beyond that is cetainly debatable - but the simple fact is that the term is inherently insulting - and is meant to be.

That being said, I quite enjoyed having them in my booths, and plan of taking a voyeristic peek at the gallery.

You are right, it is a degrating term, as it is meant to devalue the woman's role in the sales process. On the other hand it does accurately describe the position. the booths with women at every tradeshow I have ever worked or visited were always the most visited, and by large margins.

 

[Nebin]

I LIKE Booth Babes myself but then I'm a Sexist Gnome Pig (just ask Lidda !) Please everyone have fun, ask permission of the BBs and of course KEEP MR. PIRATECAT out of drag !

 

[Utrecht]

the booths with women at every tradeshow I have ever worked or visited were always the most visited, and by large margins.

Your definately right about that - in fact the company I worked for eventually gave in and went that route. Of course - the leads that we got were even worse - but it made the VP of Marketing look good - so we did it.

 

[PowerWordDumb]

Role of the Booth Babe

You are right, it is a degrating term, as it is meant to devalue the woman's role in the sales process.

Role in the sales process?!? Pardon me while I cough up a lung! Unless the woman happens to be a genuine part of the sales team who can speak with authority on the product details and nuances, rather than being nothing more than hired background scenery, then she has *no* role in the sales process.

She's no more part of the sales team than the nifty posters hanging up in the booth - but she knew that going in, and that's exactly what she signed up for. My heart doesn't ache with empathy for the guy who sweeps up the arena after a hockey game as if he were some undervalued member of the hockey organization - why should this be any different?

The women are hired for their looks, and they do a job - period, the end. They are hired specifically to be objectified! While that should definitely not draw any scorn their way, nor does it justify them being treated as animals, it also shouldn't bring out the bleeding hearts sighing with sympathy for the oppressed.

As far as the degrading quality of the term - at least among the tech geeks I have had to attend conferences with, the term "booth babe" is more a magical term full of awe and wonder. There's no room for derision or disrespect when their eyes go wide and glassy at the mere thought.

On the other hand it does accurately describe the position. the booths with women at every tradeshow I have ever worked or visited were always the most visited, and by large margins.

Same here. While I am unabashed in my enjoyment of looking at the female form, I am a little disheartened every time I hit a trade show that the same old tricks are still used and worse yet, continue to work. Note to the sales teams: I may well enjoy looking at the booth babe you hire, but I won't buy your product because of it.