Snowboarder Hannah Teter Kills Critics With Kindness

An eyebrow was recently raised with the publication of a Sports Illustrated photo series featuring American Olympic athletes who were, shall we say, not exactly suited up for their respective events. Critics complained that the publication cheapened and sexualized the Olympics, and targeted the subjects themselves for allowing themselves to be objectified.

But Vermont snowboarder Hannah Teter would have none of it.

As quoted by Reuters, Teter first thinks that folks need to lighten up a bit:

"Bodies are beautiful and should be appreciated. People have different points of view that need a little bit of light shined on to."

But she also asks us to stop and take a global view of the matter, and to recognize freedoms of expression we take for granted but that are not universally enjoyed by all women around the world, saying in reference to the opportunity to participate in the SI shoot:

"I was really amped up to do that because I don't believe in the criminalization of bodies and women having to be ashamed of their bodies. That's just so wrong."

Teter puts on full display a huge heart to match this feisty, independent spirit, having recently pointed out in an interview conducted with Boston's WHDH that her earnings for the photo shoot have been dedicated to charity.

Tonic has recently written about Teter's own underwear line, Sweet Cheeks Panties, which is donating $5 for each pair sold to Doctors Without Borders, with a goal to raise $100,000 for relief efforts in Haiti.

And this is merely the latest bit of outreach undertaken by Hannah. As she reveals to NBC, Teter shares that her 2006 Olympic success brought her a platform to say things, while at the same time surgery and rehabilitation brought about some idle time during which she thought about what sort of life she wanted to live with or without snowboarding. An epiphany struck: she would donate her prize money.

She has certainly made good on that inspirational personal mission, most recently through the donation of last month's $10,000 prize money earned at the National Snowboarding Grand Prix in Park City, Utah to Airline Ambassadors for relief efforts in Haiti. And for the past three years, she has operated Hannah's Gold. Through sales of delicious Vermont maple syrup, Teter has generated proceeds for the village of Kirindon, Kenya, where they have been able to pay for school supplies, medicine, farming equipment, and drinking water wells among other needs and improvements.

Through her competitive and compassionate nature, Hanna Teter has demonstrated mastery not only over the half-pipe, but of how to life life with a full heart.

Photo by Andy Liang via Flickr.