Wearing 'too short shorts': A speaking to Wearing shorts instead of bikini bottoms: A fine Smoking cannabis: A ban Competing against female weightlifters after a 15 year career as a men's weightlifter: Brave and stunning pic.twitter.com/jAaKH2hH2C
Men are of course in charge. An early iteration of the rules for Beach Volleyball uniforms was actually written by a NZ BV sports administrator. I recall seeing an interview on the news with him just prior to one of the Olympics (Rio or the one before). He described in an aside that doing the research was one of the better jobs he’s had – I’m sure it was supposed to be funny, but it creeped me out at the time.
I note that at olympic level women in BV now have several uniform options, ranging from the bikinis to tops with shorts or boardies, and full body suits. Maybe regional authorities or handball have different rules?
Most women still choose the bikini. Some say it’s because there are fewer places for sand to hide and it’s more comfortable in heat or when wet. Others say that it’s clearly to use sex to get people to watch and if that’s what it takes to get the sport known, well, fine. There’s probably some truth to the comfort arguments, but I’ve never heard a male BV player saying they really wish the uniform was changed to speedos only.
At the end of the day, I suspect concern around sponsorship opportunities probably looms large. It’s quite conflicting really. I mean athletes tend to have fantastic looking bodies. They’re beautiful to watch and I’m in awe of what they can achieve. On the other hand, especially with modern TV cameras able to provide HD ultra-slomo close-up replays it’s prurient verging on soft porn. over the last few years there have been far too many close-ups of female athletes crotches and breasts for it to be accidental. I’d rather give the athletes some dignity by allowing shorts of any damn length and style they feel comfortable with.
Honestly, as Rob suggests you’re probably going to have mostly bikinis unless they’re disallowed. Do a Google image search for Olympic pole vaulters, and you’ll see men almost always wear shorts, and generally not particularly short or tight ones, so I don’t think there’s much of a performance argument (unlike, say, swimming). Women sometimes wear shorts, but they mostly wear bikini bottoms, and often very tiny ones. Back to volleyball, the requirements for small bottoms are of course ridiculous, but many women go even smaller than that.
And if you live near a beach, go see for yourself what men and women given a free choice have decided to wear.
For volleyball, if we were starting from scratch, I’d say start with something similar to the men’s uniforms and then what do we need to change? Adjust the fit a bit and that’s about it. But if that were proposed there would be a blow-up over that: Innocent women, top athletes representing their country, and you’re sexualizing them and trying to control how they dress?
But certainly requiring tiny bikinis is ridiculous, and I have a lot of respect for the Norway team pushing back against that. Good for them. As for Olivia Breen, I’m not especially inspired by her fight for the right to wear small bikini bottoms when competing. I’m about as inspired as I would be if the men’s volleyball team lobbied for the same thing. I don’t really see minimum uniform sizes as the same thing as maximum ones. Unless we’re talking about burkas, people are not left feeling embarrassed by more coverage.
Germany’s gymnasts wore full-body suits in women’s qualification at the Olympics as they continued their stand against the sexualisation of their sport.
I had read that there was some effort in this direction, and I’m glad to see it happen at the Olympics. Brava, German women’s team.
Who’s in charge here!?
Men.
Men are of course in charge. An early iteration of the rules for Beach Volleyball uniforms was actually written by a NZ BV sports administrator. I recall seeing an interview on the news with him just prior to one of the Olympics (Rio or the one before). He described in an aside that doing the research was one of the better jobs he’s had – I’m sure it was supposed to be funny, but it creeped me out at the time.
I note that at olympic level women in BV now have several uniform options, ranging from the bikinis to tops with shorts or boardies, and full body suits. Maybe regional authorities or handball have different rules?
Most women still choose the bikini. Some say it’s because there are fewer places for sand to hide and it’s more comfortable in heat or when wet. Others say that it’s clearly to use sex to get people to watch and if that’s what it takes to get the sport known, well, fine. There’s probably some truth to the comfort arguments, but I’ve never heard a male BV player saying they really wish the uniform was changed to speedos only.
At the end of the day, I suspect concern around sponsorship opportunities probably looms large. It’s quite conflicting really. I mean athletes tend to have fantastic looking bodies. They’re beautiful to watch and I’m in awe of what they can achieve. On the other hand, especially with modern TV cameras able to provide HD ultra-slomo close-up replays it’s prurient verging on soft porn. over the last few years there have been far too many close-ups of female athletes crotches and breasts for it to be accidental. I’d rather give the athletes some dignity by allowing shorts of any damn length and style they feel comfortable with.
My preference would be for the athletes to choose as well, they’re the ones who know best what works for playing their game.
Honestly, as Rob suggests you’re probably going to have mostly bikinis unless they’re disallowed. Do a Google image search for Olympic pole vaulters, and you’ll see men almost always wear shorts, and generally not particularly short or tight ones, so I don’t think there’s much of a performance argument (unlike, say, swimming). Women sometimes wear shorts, but they mostly wear bikini bottoms, and often very tiny ones. Back to volleyball, the requirements for small bottoms are of course ridiculous, but many women go even smaller than that.
And if you live near a beach, go see for yourself what men and women given a free choice have decided to wear.
For volleyball, if we were starting from scratch, I’d say start with something similar to the men’s uniforms and then what do we need to change? Adjust the fit a bit and that’s about it. But if that were proposed there would be a blow-up over that: Innocent women, top athletes representing their country, and you’re sexualizing them and trying to control how they dress?
But certainly requiring tiny bikinis is ridiculous, and I have a lot of respect for the Norway team pushing back against that. Good for them. As for Olivia Breen, I’m not especially inspired by her fight for the right to wear small bikini bottoms when competing. I’m about as inspired as I would be if the men’s volleyball team lobbied for the same thing. I don’t really see minimum uniform sizes as the same thing as maximum ones. Unless we’re talking about burkas, people are not left feeling embarrassed by more coverage.
In related news:
Tokyo Olympics: German women’s gymnastics team wears full-body suits
I had read that there was some effort in this direction, and I’m glad to see it happen at the Olympics. Brava, German women’s team.