FIDE Picks Breast Implants as a Sponsor for Women's Chess

The German "Sportschau", one of the largest public sports media, writes: "In fact, the global medical company is the place to go for women who are dissatisfied with the size of their breasts and want to have them enlarged. But that is only half the truth. Because "Establishment Labs" - as the company is called - also specializes in the reconstruction and rebuilding of the female breast after cancer surgery. And this is precisely what the World Chess Federation was probably concerned about. " (www.sportschau.de/schach/schach-frauen-sponsor-kritik-100.html)

Sorry "Sportschau":
- Its not the half, its more then 80% of the truth (at least 80% of operations with breast implants are cosmetic surgery).
- The World Chess Federation FIDE is only concerned about money. This is not principally condemnable. But a look at the history of FIDE over the past decades does not necessarily inspire confidence that everything in this sponsorship deal has been done for the good of chess and especially women chess players. After the current shitstorm, it would be helpful if FIDE would publish the details of the sponsorship contract: How much money will flow into FIDE's treasuries, and how much of it is supposed to go to the players (or who else)? And what concrete quid pro quos has FIDE promised the sponsor? In other words: transparency.

This whole comment section is demonstrative of the puerile men that populate the chess community. Half of you guys who are complaining haven’t even read the article.

But the chorus of “I love big boobs” and “you’re just looking for something to be offended about” I mean...is this forum full of eighth graders?

Just try and be big boys for a second and think about how ridiculous a sponsor a breast implant company is. It’s really frigging stupid.

what on earth? the mere concept of a breast implant corporation sponsoring women's chess? for once i'm not the insane person.

Gosh, what a dumb article. Full of baseless assumptions. Since when lichess started the Blog of sensational topics? Who is moderating these blog posts? Whoever is writing those blogs, needs to be fact checked. It is full of hate, baseless assumptions and looking to incentive violence and division through the writings. If a women wants to have implants for whatever reasons GO AHEAD GIRL, FREE WORLD AND YOU CAN DO IT!!! STOP HARASSING THE WOMEN that want to do it and tagging them with labels like "insecure etc.". Shame on you lichess' blogger.

this, and the comments on this post are disgusting. Did nobody read the story of the girl who was sexually harassed by 60 year old man when she was 13? Does that not show you the prevalence of this problem? This sponsorship is insulting to women, propagates already harmful stereotypes, and really makes me think more and more of FIDE as an unprofessional institution.

@StupidHorsey said in #208:
> I don't understand why women who choose to get breast implants are being condemned as "insecure" and having "low self esteem". Would we use the same terms to describe women who wear earrings, tattoos, or other artificial accessories?
>
> As the saying goes, "my body, my choice". No woman deserves to be denounced for the aesthetic choices they make regarding their own person.

You missed the point. The company targets women who are insecure to modify themselves for male appeal, propagating sexism in chess, which is bad enough as it is, looking at these blog comments. Of course women can get breast implants if they want, but to be sponsored by such a shady company that preys on women who feel pressured to change their looks for men when the point of womens chess is to break down gender roles is so stupid beyond belief.

Very good article, especially pertinent to include the testimonies at the end

@AaronFab said in #19:
> Hmm:
> Kid:
> -Mom, what is breast implant?
> Mom:
> -A thing
> Kid:
> -Funny thing?
> Mom:
> Oh god no!
> Kid:
> -What??
> It would look like this.

Imagine not being able to tell your kid what breasts implants are.

Chess in general needs more sponsors, if Establishment Labs helps attract others to financially support this sport, then it is totally fine for me. Here in germany there was a lot of negative feedback about the sponsor, but i honestly dont get it. Breast Implantations are sometimes needed, thinking of burn victims or trans people for example.