american apparel girl splits
A moment ago, I found an article that suggested that Goldman Sachs should split into three units.

Interesting! So I wrote a quick blurb on it. And then the time came to chose a photo, and in three seconds, I made a decision that would erupt in criticism across Twitter and in particular, from Reuters blogger Felix Salmon.

I briefly considered a classic Lloyd Blankfein photo, but instead typed into our photo finder the word, "split" and found this photo --->

Perfect! I thought. A girl doing a split. 

OMG. The reaction I got. 

Seconds later, Salmon tweetedI've had this fight with @hblodget before. But honestly, does he want to alienate ALL his female readers?

My editor, Joe Weisenthal, quickly responded, @felixsalmon 1) That's a picture of someone doing the splits, and b) do you not think @courtn_comstock selects her own photos?

Exactly. She's doing a split. So what's the big deal? I think Salmon's reaction was 1) prudish and 2) a little sexist. 

Why would only men like this photo? Why assume I didn't select it?

I changed the photo anyway, because I was asked to. It's now a shot of a bolt of lightning "splitting" the sky in two, which in my mind, might as well be the same photo as the girl doing a split. It's a literal interpretation of the main point of the story, just like the original photo was, but guess what. No uproar.

So apparently it's just sexualized photos that are the issue. Does anyone else have a problem with them? Let me know in the comments.

wedding kissI should note that I've been criticized for my photo selection before -- also by Salmon -- and I kept the photo. 

That time, the article was about bankers being so busy with AIG asset sales that they were missing weddings. Thus, I chose a photo of two women kissing at their wedding. The reaction then was even more bombastic. 

So I'm asking, in the future, readers (particularly women readers), is there something you want me to tone down?