"She's the whole package"

[ItsAUserNameThing]

I've heard this statement a lot over the past few days, in relation to Emma Raducanu. Today the media have been in overdrive about her after her amazing performance, but I keep hearing that "she's the whole package" and she will be the UK's highest earning sportsperson by the end of the year due to advertising / endorsements.

The implication seems to be that her sporting excellence is one thing, but that on top of that she's also conventionally incredibly attractive and young, and that "sex appeal" sets her apart.

No-one ever says this but I feel that's implied everytime the commentators say she's more than just a great tennis player, she has it all and she's the whole package.

Just wondered if anyone else noticed this.

Totally agree. It annoyed me.

I think she also comes off as a really nice person in her post match interviews, down to earth, genuine, humble… so yes, she’s young, talented, good looking AND decent..
a bit different from the last great British tennis star!

She is much more appealing to a brand than Andy. It’s not just the sex appeal.

Hmm, no. I thought it was to do with the fact she handles the media impeccably, she is shit hot on the court and seems very personable.

I haven’t seen any objectification and I generally spot it a mile off.

She has an A* in maths A level. That makes her my type of person.

@Kisskiss

I think she also comes off as a really nice person in her post match interviews, down to earth, genuine, humble… so yes, she’s young, talented, good looking AND decent.. a bit different from the last great British tennis star!

This is how me and others I have spoken to have taken it as

Let's face it if she was dull and boring they wouldn't be saying it, so it's not solely about her looks. Equally, if she was ugly they wouldn't say it either (runs from feminism board ). The fact is she's clever, personable, good with the media, pretty and damn good at tennis. The whole package.

No one is dull and boring. No one.

You've clearly never met my SIL

Not heard of this whole package thing however I can see what is meant although it's a very clumsy way of saying that Emma is not just extremely talented, she has a lovely personality, a great family, seems full of fun yet a little quirky, enthusiasm & the most gorgeous smile ever. She's also pretty in a normal girl next door way not fake & yet like all us still has the odd bad hair day/looking rough day.
But most of all she's very genuine/real & I love the fact that she's still bubbling over with excitement & I can't believe this is happening thing.
She has no airs or graces.
I think she's great & I hope she always stays this way.

Feminism at its finest.

Like @Mumoftwoinprimary says, the girls I know who have Maths A levels/degrees are lovely & straightforward.

Yes it is isn't it @AgnesNaismith. Not one bad word said and everyone being supoortive of this talented young sportswoman. Lovely to see.

Bit like Maths itself

The terminology though. Transactional. As if she were goods being purchased and a really good deal.

I’ve felt it’s more because she’s intelligent, articulate and comes across as friendly and approachable. No angry outbursts on court. Just calm & composed.

I took it to mean the next Sharapova/Kournikova too.

So after OP. Some things never change! 😠

That should be 'So agree...'

Well, I think it's another way of saying that she seems to have it all... talent, looks, brains, a grounded personality AND the determination and work ethic to make all those gifts work for her. I don't think it's sexist in any way, just people acknowledging that there is a lot more to her than being good at tennis. I think she's incredibly lucky and I doubt she'd get upset about what is, basically, a very positive comment.

I think she's amazing. So confident! So talented. Motocross etc.

I know what you mean OP. Subtext- v good looking young smiley.

News earlier referred to her charm. Felt like a euphemism to me.

The press and men think how they do.

Surely this is about the reaction to her.

Rather than anything about her. Iyswim.

Yes, I know what you mean, OP. I think they mean she's an absolute dream for a sponsor, and sponsors would absolutely would see a sports person as a "package", a commodity. I don't think, to be fair though that this only happens with female sports people. I can think of several men who would be described as such, off the top of my head.

The "package" term is offensive because as others have said, it makes her a commodity. I live under a rock and didn't know what she looks like and the first thing I noticed when I googled her is that she is very pretty AND extremely slim. She has exquisite looking arms, neck and shoulders, the kind that look lovely in evening clothes, which a lot of (imo) utterly gorgeous female tennis players do not have as they look bigger - more athletic than delicate. In my COMPLETELY uninformed opinion "the whole package" has sitting behind it something like "She can play incredible tennis without looking as if it has changed her body from decorative to functional - this is how we need women in the public eye to look"

Given that the BBC headline was something about how she could be the next Rihanna, I don’t think it will be her maths a-level the average man will be looking at. This thread reminds me of a scene in Blues Brothers 2000 when a load of strippers walk into the club and are announced with details of the high degrees they are studying.

We live in a corrupted decadent world where thought and education are reviled. Males rule, and the only thing that is valued is their ability to orgasm. It is dying slowly, as surely as the Roman world in its last century was.