Betty Pariso's Official Response to the Womens Physique Division!

**huge285** · 10-27-2010, 02:22 PM

FROM: BETTY PARISO

BettyPariso1a_451921597.jpgFirst let me say that Ed & I have added a 2nd Pro Women’s Contest to our Event Schedule in 2011. We will be bringing FIBO / Europa to the USA and we have included Pro Women Bodybuilding to the line-up of events. It will be held in Chicago - September 30, 2 weeks after the 2011 Olympia. For more info go to: www.visionstarinc.com

MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH A POSITIVE MESSAGE
TIME LINE:

April 2007
In 2007 I had created a overall program called Women’s Physique Division , and presented it to the IFBB Committee, and at that time it was rejected. I felt at the time, and still do that there is a big niche that we are missing…women that want to train and build some muscle. Currently, we are missing a huge market, somewhere between the current level of Women's Bodybuilding and Figure. Women that want muscle, just not to the excess…that is what I keep hearing from so many Women that they want. The progression of Women’s Bodybuilding over the years may have discouraged many from competition in our sport.

April 2010
I made the decision one month after the Arnold to retire from Women’s Bodybuilding. I was not tired of Women’s Bodybuilding, Competing or Training, but had decided I would not do what it takes to compete at that level of muscularity. Ed knew competing for me was so much of who I am…so we looked around and the only thing left out there for me was Figure. Although Figure is smaller than I wanted to be, I was excited with this new challenge, and it became a fun new goal for me that kept me motivated to change my body. I dropped 30 pounds in 3 months and of course loved the clothes I could fit into !

August 2010.
Bob contacts me and ask me to join and support a somewhat similar proposal that he too named “Women’s Physique Division”. I was happy to be involved and will lend my support and hopefully be able to give some ideas and direction. At this time the exact criteria is not known. You have heard directly from Steve Weinberger that Women’s Bodybuilding is not going anywhere.

MY THOUGHTS:
As a woman...I do feel in my heart it is the right direction and message regardless. I am always about being inclusive. I know some of you will not fit into this new category, but as it currently stands, many do not fit in either Figure or Pro Women’s Bodybuilding. So we have left out a huge group of women that will now have somewhere to go.

As I get older, and hopefully wiser I have always been concerned about the message we are sending to the young women coming up in the sport of female bodybuilding. The image that is winning at the highest level is a body image that is causing many women to make very difficult choices or drop out of the sport of Bodybuilding. For a lot of Women, some muscle on a woman is very beautiful...no question, but we are way over on the muscularity end of what many female bodybuilders originally liked about the sport and wanted for themselves. If this new division proves to be successful in the NPC, then these women will now have the Women’s Physique Division in which to compete.

Women’s Bodybuilding has evolved to the highest level of muscularity, and it has created a huge void between Figure and Women’s Bodybuilding. Hopefully I will have some input in
developing the criteria and this new division lands somewhere in the middle.

Sincerely,
Betty Pariso
IFBB Women’s Bodybuilding Rep
IFBB Promoter

**Ibarramedia** · 10-27-2010, 02:53 PM

Interesting and carefully worded. Thanks Betty for the response and Thanks Dave for posting it.

**AnglicanBeachParty** · 10-27-2010, 03:06 PM

Interesting.

I'm glad to hear about the Pro show in Chicago; I may just attend that!

**muscles_1976** · 10-27-2010, 03:22 PM

agree, carefully worded but she is so sweet I will always admire her....

also....I want to know how she lost that much muscle in 3 months! I have been hearing these other fbb say it will take sooo much time to lose large amounts of muscle

**D_T** · 10-27-2010, 03:42 PM

Very honest and open minded view, especially coming from someone in her position.

You have to be able view the sport from both sides to be objective. I competed in the 80's, quit training for years then came back to serious training after nearly a decade. I see bodybuilding and bodybuilders from both the competitive and mainstream perspective. If 80% of the people you associate with look a certain way - muscular, fat, tall, whatever - your opinion of what is acceptable can be very skewed.

**debbiebramwell** · 10-27-2010, 03:49 PM

Geat post by Betty and I certainly understand everything she shared.
I think the new
divison is a great idea and think many will fit right in. The parisos are awesome promoters, I love competing in their shows. Good for her on her personal journey as well. Now my question is how did she lose 30 pounds in 3 months? I wanna know!! lol

**~gymdiva~** · 10-27-2010, 04:48 PM

bump for those who may have missed it....

**lastrep** · 10-27-2010, 04:48 PM

Would be nice for "Bob" to give credit where credit is due.. Betty was years ahead of the IFBB minds and needs more recognition for her ideas and work in the sport. And yes, in 1997 it would have been a perfect time to implement the WPD.

**MITM** · 10-27-2010, 05:09 PM

I think Betty is a living legend and I think her role in the sport goes without words; however, I would like to draw upon a private email conversation w/ a very key person on this website -- mainly because his point is one I tend to side with more.

Many of the women in Female Bodybuilding have taken certain supplements and made certain irreversible decisions (by way to their physiques) that were done in good faith and in order to remain competitive -- these women, many of which unlike Betty, have no desire to retire and their only concern was coming in better and potentially challenging Iris Kyle for the Sandow.

I think the powers that be had several tries at getting rid of FBB w/ the addition of Fitness, Figure, and Bikini ... put not only did FBB bounce back, we've seen more shows added to the circuit, and renewed interest in the Women.

I respect Betty Pariso's noble efforts, but I think getting rid of FBB is an aboslute travesty and I hope to see at least few brave female competitors find themselves an attorney and sue the pants off the IFBB.

Or maybe start a new federation. They're not talking about less coverage, less prize money, less shows... they're talking about ending the entire game for many of these brave, hardworking women. The stakes are that much higher.

Anyways... what does the IFBB do for the Women anyways? They could probably do far better for themselves - by themselves.

And who better than someone that truly believes in the ladies?

Dave Palumbo could be the next Joe Weider and RxMuscle could be the new M&F/Flex for the Women in the decade to come. Why not?

**bigdawg19** · 10-27-2010, 05:53 PM

I think the new division will be awesome and will bring more hot women to the sport.

**MITM** · 10-27-2010, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by bigdawg19

I think the new division will be awesome and will bring more hot women to the sport.

Oh there's no doubt about that... it will keep with the tradition of Figure & Bikini... but FBB was always about something bigger than that. I am not saying the ladies of Figure, Fitness, and Bikini don't bust their butts for their placings, but Female Bodybuilders have done so against both the mainstream and the very Federation that they competed in.

The Women from the reign of Kim Chizevsky to the present... have been standing strong as resources, sponsors, press, and contests waned -- but come hell or high water, they'd keep training and showing up for battle year after year.

I just wish Iris, Lenda, and Kim came out and made a statement. Prolly won't happen, but you don't just wake up one day and scrap a sport so rich in history and great champions.

**D_T** · 10-27-2010, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by ChristianDuque

Oh there's no doubt about that... it will keep with the tradition of Figure & Bikini... but FBB was always about something bigger than that. I am not saying the ladies of Figure, Fitness, and Bikini don't bust their butts for their placings, but Female Bodybuilders have done so against both the mainstream and the very Federation that they competed in.

The Women from the reign of Kim Chizevsky to the present... have been standing strong as resources, sponsors, press, and contests waned -- but come hell or high water, they'd keep training and showing up for battle year after year.

I just wish Iris, Lenda, and Kim came out and made a statement. Prolly won't happen, but you don't just wake up one day and scrap a sport so rich in history and great champions.

Where are you getting the idea FBB'ing is getting scrapped?

**MITM** · 10-27-2010, 06:18 PM

It's just a hunch. I guess I should put that in a bold letters up top. lol.
Good point. But I just feel that with Figure, Fitness, Bikini, and now this... what will be left for FBB? Why another division? It just seems that's the way things are headed -- making FBB obsolete.

**Jodie** · 10-27-2010, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by ChristianDuque

It's just a hunch. I guess I should put that in a bold letters up top. lol.
Good point. But I just feel that with Figure, Fitness, Bikini, and now this... what will be left for FBB? Why another division? It just seems that's the way things are headed -- making FBB obsolete.

You're starting to sound alot like Bob. Would you care to add the words...Phased out to your posts too?

My post that has been posted elsewhere on another board...

My personal opinion is that Bob used the term "phased out" to loosely hoping that it would get rid of FBB or cause enough panic amonst us that we would all freak out and run for the hills. actually I found some of his statements to be pretty shitty and degrading in a way, yet some I agreed with in some respect.

Myself I am glad to see Betty has came out with what is going on exactly as well as what we have heard from Steve W. Hopefully we can all go back to being happy little campers.

**MITM** · 10-27-2010, 09:14 PM

The truth be told, I actually thought FBB was being done away with, I don't know where I got that from, so I just jumped out in defense of it. Still... I think that a new division is unnecessary. I personally didn't even think Bikini was all that needed, but I'm glad it's here.

There should be more focus on the present divisons before adding new ones. I don't know who Bob is, but whether you agree or disagree with my opinions - know that they are mine.

p.s.
I'm down for being a happy camper. I have brought some carb-free fruit punch and Supreme Protein bars for everyone to share with each other around the campfire