Lunar | Bikini bottoms vs shorts? Time to stop sexualising women athletes and their kit
- From gymnastics and beach handball to grand slam tennis, there is excessive attention on what women wear. Instead, sportswear should be inclusive of different bodies, religions and health issues
One would think that for an athlete’s outfit, the sole consideration should be comfort. This is the case – except when the athlete happens to be a woman.
These double standards came under the spotlight in mid-July when the Norwegian women’s beach handball team wore shorts instead of bikini bottoms during a competition. For the athletes, it was a practical choice: the traditional bikini makes them feel unnecessarily sexualised, “naked”, “watched” and uncomfortable, especially during their periods.
But these concerns didn’t matter to the European Handball Federation, which fined them €1,500 (US$1,780) for “improper clothing”.
On the same day, Paralympic world champion Olivia Breen was told that her sprint briefs were “too short and inappropriate” by an official while she was competing in the English Championships.
Too short, too long: comments on women’s dress code in sports never cease, to the point where it risks overshadowing their athletic skills. Reconciling their femininity and their athleticism appears to have been more important to sports federations than trying to enhance performances with more comfortable outfits.
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Female athletes push for more inclusive and less sexualised uniforms
The objectification of women athletes is prevalent in many ways.