Sexualisation of women in Sports

[s1962a]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-5796...

Must be a few PHers sympathetic to the The European Handball Federation 's stance on forcing women athletes to wear bikini bottoms?

[efcgriswold]

I’m glad their stance doesn’t go to their own social media posts of bikinis.

[Flooble]

I am somewhat surprised that any sporting organisation would seek to enforce a dress code to that degree. People complain about Wimbledon, but this is taking things to a somewhat extreme level.

It's not as if the shorts being worn were Victorian-era bloomers, and even then you'd struggle to advance any real argument ... trip hazard maybe just possible if you squint.

[Scrump]

Male swimmers are forced to go topless.

[Randy Winkman]

I have mixed feelings. I short while ago a woman athlete was told that her shorts were too brief.

https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/athletics/ne...

Part of me says that she should wear what she likes. Another part of me asks why the "fashion" for clothing in women's athletics is to wear such revealing clothing when the same isn't true for men's athletics. Is that a positive thing for women?

Edited to add that there just seems to be a thing for people to tell women what to wear.

Edited by Randy Winkman on Monday 26th July 13:33

[johnboy1975]

Scrump said:

Male swimmers are forced to go topless.

Fake news

[PeteinSQ]

Scrump said:

Male swimmers are forced to go topless.

I know you're joking but that's because it would give an advantage that would translate to faster times, as was already demonstrated in the past.

There's an obvious difference between choosing to post pictures of yourself on Instagram in a bikini and being forced to wear bikini bottoms to compete for no good reason.

The issue isn't bikini bottoms, it's compelling/forcing people to wear things that either make them feel uncomfortable or are suboptimal for sport. Women should be able to choose what they want to wear - especially if it is similar/the same as what their male counterparts are wearing.

[amusingduck]

johnboy1975 said:

Fake news

What's that flag supposed to be, half somalia, half rising sun?

[thebraketester]

Flooble said:

I am somewhat surprised that any sporting organisation would seek to enforce a dress code to that degree.

Have you not heard of golf?

[bloomen]

If the old goats in charge were also mandated to wear bikini bottoms when meeting or out in public I'd be all for it.

[speedking31]

amusingduck said:

What's that flag supposed to be, half somalia, half rising sun?

Arizona.

[AlexC1981]

Traditionally Olympic athletes would compete naked. Would do wonders for the viewing figures.

[Kawasicki]

Yep, I'm sympathetic. It seems like a weird/silly clothing rule, the women should wear what they want, within reason.

[InitialDave]

I really can't understand why they'd even do this, the shorts aren't going to offer the team an advantage, and I can't believe that no-one involved bothered to stop and think about how giving them hassle about it would play out.

[mmm-five]

AlexC1981 said:

Traditionally Olympic athletes would compete naked. Would do wonders for the viewing figures.

Maybe not in the weightlifting though!

[Psycho Warren]

Surely the attire should, in this modern age, be determined almost 100% by what is technically appropriate and best performing for that sporting discipline. I guess there needs to be some minimum standards of modesty but I don't see how what they wore was wrong in that respect?

[Sterillium]

mmm-five said:

AlexC1981 said:

Traditionally Olympic athletes would compete naked. Would do wonders for the viewing figures.

Maybe not in the weightlifting though![/quote

Jesus Christ.

[Jasandjules]

I can't quite understand why the players can't be allowed to wear whatever they feel comfortable in.

[vetrof]

s1962a said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-5796...

Must be a few PHerssponsors sympathetic to the The European Handball Federation 's stance on forcing women athletes to wear bikini bottoms?

Tweaked it for you.

It's always about the money.

[RichTT]

I'm not for a minute suggesting that bikini briefs are a hinderance or a help to the beach volley ball teams but there is legitimate need to at least have guidelines on sports wear at the Olympics and competitive events. The full body swimsuits developed and used by some teams gave them a competitive advantage due to the design mimicking sharkskin (i think). Along the same line of thinking that certain materials allow for greater moisture wicking effects keeping athletes cooler and able to perform for longer etc etc.

There needs to be guidelines but they also need to be sensible. There's no logical explanation for them wearing bikini briefs over shorts other than that they all have lovely bottoms.