This photo is what passes for sports journalism at the Sydney Morning Herald nowadays. I did not crop this photo; the Herald did. Here’s a possible original from AFP/Getty Images, nabbed from Daylife:
A couple of years ago, Tigtog posted about athletlcs uniforms and the trend toward sexified, midriff-baring, underwear-style women’s uniforms.
At the time, she wondered whether the women at the next Olympics would be running in sports corsets. While not quite corsets, the women’s uniforms in the big sports are all skintight, while the men (with the exception of swimmers) are wearing looser with more coverage. Tigtog said it before, but I’ll say it again: minute increases in performance cannot account for this difference, otherwise the men would be in skintight clothing also.
No. It’s not about faster, higher, stronger. Women in sports are promoted as sexualised bodies for ogling; men are promoted as performers.
Here are a few side-by-side comparisons of what Aussie contenders are put into:
Bring on the judo and the soccer, I say!
Oh wait, there’s not going to be Olympic women’s judo or soccer coverage on Channel 7? I shall now attempt to fake a surprised look.
P.S. Stop calling grown women “girls”. Especially when they can kick your arse.
[While not all pictures are of the exact Olympics 2008 uniforms, all are very recent, and Olympic uniforms are expected to be near-identical. Images are drawn from smh.com.au, hockey.org.au, athletics.com.au, foxsports.com.au, olympics.com.au, beijing2008.cn, and judowa.org.au]
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Oohh, good point, Lost Clown I will watch the water polo too.
Interesting:
via Tennessee Guerilla Women
The Indian women have rejected the alternate official uniform one-piece as well, opting for T-shirts and long shorts. Good for them, but of course they had to cite religious morality reasons in order to have their refusal be upheld without disqualification. No way that it would fly simply on the grounds of preference/practicality for the other women in the sport.
Maybe this teaspoon may be enough for others to take note and take action? Good on them, whatever their reason.
So if I’m a professional athlete, I can’t get out of wearing sexy clothes unless I’m religious?
“sky daddy says I can’t wear revealing outfits” is the only excuse to get out of it??
At least in certain sports, that appears to be how it is, Jess. If you don’t follow the rules, you get kicked off the squad. Especially at an event where one is representing one’s country, you know, those events that used to be all about the glories of amateurism?
When it was all still amateur, the athletes appeared to have more choices, at least with uniforms (other choices were severely constrained by lack of funds). Now that the sports have been professionalised, and their training is paid for by sponsors who want their logos displayed in certain ways, the athletes have less choice about how they are presented in front of the spectators, particularly the all-important TV spectators.
Ooh Mindy, I apologise! I actually meant to direct that to FP as a sign of agreement with you. My bad.
I watched the Today Tonight story on volleyball. Unsurprisingly, it focused very little on the differences between uniforms and instead featured a lot of footage of the Australian team talking about about how they found the bikinis a lot more comfortable to play in and they actually felt sorry for the men having to play in so much material.
Oh, and various vox pops of dudes salivating over the uniforms.
Apparently beach volleyball is the third most watched Olympic sport these days. I suspect the uniforms are different for indoor women because they don’t have the benefit of sun and sand to contribute to the atmosphere of sex.
audreys last blog post..short but sweet
Well this is another connected issue is that *even if* you could say that individual athletes enjoyed baring their bods etc, *even if* you could make the argument it’s a personal freedom matter…what about the fact that wherever women go at the moment we get to hear the lewd comments of men discussing “Women’s Beach Volleyball” loudly, whenever and wherever they want with no regard as to whether anyone might be uncomfortable about a bunch of old dudes referring to the Beach Volleyball to express in code “Check it OUT dudes, we’d all tap that, am I right???Am I right???This is almost as good as porn” over and over. And no, it’s NOT the fact that there is an attraction there that bothers me, it’s the ways and the reasons it’s communicated, as if it’s their right to sexualise and salivate over any woman, anywhere, anytime, no matter what the woman does, should be being looked at *for*.
Then there’s the ads for the current affairs program where a reporter (white male) ‘investigates’ the chinese cheerleaders…and turns while watching their routine to tip a large “Hell YEAH” wink to the camera. So yes, even if you could make skimpy attire into the choice of the wearer, what of the *choices* of the rest of us not to be bombarded by continual sexual inuendo all day?
If anyone here can point me in the right direction for some good readings on the male gaze, and the whole homosocial ‘women as goods to exchange’ kind of writing, it’d be appreciated…cos I often get asked by men why their sexualising of women is possessive/appropriative/upsetting for me to hear…and I find myself fumbling to explain it sufficiently in the face of their resistance. I know what I mean, but I think some further reading would help me articulate my views without getting frustrated.
I was listening to the ABC’s “Life Matters” last night about mentoring, and was struck by the comment that many male mentors were suddenly ‘getting it’ when it was their daughter not progressing because of the male priveledge in the corporate arena.
I wonder if the wearing of appropriate uniforms (as opposed to the sexualised outfits they are apparently required to wear) may be challenged when the Powers That Be are told by their participating daughters how uncomfortable some of those clothes are to wear, and how uncomfortable it is to be seen as an ‘ogled body’ instead of the athletes they are.
Personally, I can’t imagine that playing a strenuous sport on sand in a skimpy costume would be that comfortable.
But then, during times of sporting hysteria times I take refuge in my DVD collection and the library until it is all over and the world returns to its usual insanities.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/swimming/twos-nice-but-its-thrice-for-rice-in-relay-thriller/2008/08/14/1218307071702.html
The link may not show the pic that’s up now (as they often change their front page pics) but it’s the swimmners hugging in victory under the heading GOLD DIGGERS…ok, I get it, a play on diggers, a pun on the medal, however…I’m sure there were many other ‘punny’ headlines available and the gendered connotation to ‘gold diggers’ is inescapable
Jess:
It seems so, as tigtog says, at least in some sports. You don’t get an out from playing to the horny male gaze unless you’re already claimed by a religion or skycreature – unless the male authorities in your home country object to you being on display.
Fuckpoliteness: awesome point, and one that I think is underexplored. I totally agree.
I put up a couple of other indoor volleyball uniform pics. The difference isn’t as stark as it is in beach volleyball, but there is still obviously a gender divide. Snug tops and lycra short-short hotpants or swimsuit type briefs for the women; loose shirts and shorts for the men.
No need to apologise Audrey! I did wonder if you had me confused with someone else, no harm done.
I feel your frustration FP. If you do come across some good writing, please share.
FP: tekanji’s FAQ on the Male Gaze over at FF101 covers a lot of good ground and has a list of further reading, but I’m not sure whether any of it’s the pithy summary you’re looking for.
Thanks, I’ll check out the link – I don’t need the pithy summary really, it’s just it’s stuff I know from experience and ranting with friends, but stuff I’m not down on the theory of you know? So it’s cool to have a link to check out to start some readings…so I can go “aaaHA!!!” and formulate my own pithy summary with which to then kick the rhetorical pants of those trying to claim it’s no problem/just a fact of life/exactly the same as when women scope each other/men. At the moment all I’ve got is a raspberry.
Lauredhel, excellent point about women only being allowed to opt out of these rules if they clash with religious belief (dictated by old guys back home). FP, I think that’s one zinger you can use when trying to articulate to guys why the male gaze is still in operation.
audreys last blog post..short but sweet
I’d like to point out that it’s not just professional athletes that have to deal with this; I ran cross-country my first year of college, and the women were required to wear the equivalent of swimsuit bottoms while the men wore shorts. The uniform was distracting, and I complained, but was told that I had no choice. It was one of the reasons I quit the team. It makes me even angrier now, as I think about all the barriers in the way of young women and girls learning to participate in sports. It’s sad to think that things like this might keep women and girls away from sports.
A really excellent post, and the photos really do the trick. I hate when people reply, “well, maybe they want to wear those uniforms.” When the international rule requiring Beach VB bikinis came out, the women were pissed. There is very little logical reason why, for the benefit of the athlete, such stark differences in uniforms would be required. And I was shocked at the Basketball images, since the uniforms for the WNBA here in the states are very much like the men’s.
On a sidenote, the uniforms make it awfully difficult to publish an action shot that isn’t Maxim-worthy. It makes me think of a story I blogged about where a young athlete’s track photo from her newspaper was taken out of context and spread all over the internet with very lewd and harassing comments accompanying it. I can’t help but think about the online conversations over some of these very sexual-looking photos of these women, about how they must feel. Because it’s not like they’re going to say “no I don’t want to be in the Olympics because some asshat’s gonna get off on photos of my ass hanging out of my uniform”, but that doesn’t mean they’re all o.k. with that idea either.
The uniforms sure make it hard to take female athletics seriously when they look like they belong in a lad mag, not on the playing field.
Good point, Jane – and one that was made in a Senate inquiry a few years ago, as Liam mentioned in #43 and as I blogged at the time. Many young girls are being turned off competing in sports at all because of their discomfort at the gratuitous display of skin and/or formfitting garments.
Further idiocy: Kate Harding skewers a Times correspondent bemoaning how women’s swimming suits compress their breasts so that they are less ogle-able: he does grudgingly concede that this does make them swim faster so that’s “probably OK” just so long as they get out of those horrible things ASAP so that they look “feminine” again.
I’ve just published a post on the issue of sexualised uniforms over at Larvatus Prodeo. I expect that it won’t take long for someone to tell me how it’s all just in my head.
Of course it is tigtog, you lie around all day dreaming up problems that don’t exist all for your own amusement! (Mmm…sarcasm *doesn’t* translate well to the written word does it?)
I can’t lie. I like the pictures. And the uniforms. I’m a straight male so I guess I am the target market. Is the problem that men (including me) like them or that the males aren’t dressed in similar revealing clothing?
If everyone wore tight uniforms would the world be a better place?
OMFFFFFFG! I’ve been reading the comments over at Lavartus in response to your post tigtog. Disheartening.
Uh… no, at Larvatus in fact, not some new w/s…I can’t spell for shit some days.
Asked and answered, Dan. Look up.
[I should develop a macro for this.]
FP,
In some ways the best response to an obvious tool like TH can just be to banter around him until he gets bored of it and leaves, so I don’t mind the latest silly comments, but yeah.
I’m a little late to this and the sexism surrounding uniforms for female athletes has been pretty throughly discussed already, but I couldn’t let this slip by.
Name Withheld By Request said:
Only caring about your penis = unattractive to you
Outside interests and goals = sexually appealing to you
How is this not still about your penis? Counting a woman’s non-sexual achievements as part of her allure is still judging her based on how attractive you find her, instead of on what she has achieved.
Dan,
THE PROBLEM IS WOMEN DON’T HAVE A CHOICE. Not that they are hot, or that people find them hot. The problem is that they are athletes being valued for their physical appearance instead of their athletic prowess, and being REQUIRED to show their bodies whether they want to or not.
The generalizing is honestly quite frightening.
“I like the way women look in this outfit” = “Every woman should be wearing this outfit no matter what they are doing.”
Criticism of that outfit in a non-Playboy-photoshoot = YOU PERSONALLY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO FIND THAT ATTRACTIVE
The entitlement which is bred into men from birth is epic. Every part of society is made to fit their wishes. When one part of society is criticized, they take it as “Am I not allowed to have those wishes?” — because OBVIOUSLY the BEST ATHLETES IN THE ENTIRE FUCKING WORLD are meant to dress for YOUR pleasure — you, specific you, the ass that is sitting in your chair right this minute.
Sigh.
Jane @116, I think that’s a really great point. Mandating skimpy outfits for high school and college athletics not only keeps out those who object to being forced to be objectified, it also keeps out girls/women who might feel uncomfortable with their bodies. I know I would have loved to try out for the volleyball team, but I was too self-conscious to wear the tiny skin-tight shorts that were part of the uniform. It’s another way of telling us that we only deserve to be seen performing if we’re small enough.
I’d also like to point out that in the article that I’ve seen that reports on the Indian team refusing to wear the bikinis, it says that you can have a religious, ethical, or cultural objection to them. So I guess feminism would be an ethical objection. But still, they made sure to quote a French player hoping that they would be inspired to wear the bikinis in the future by seeing the super-hot French team. As if the Indians fought to be able to wear shorts and a t-shirt just because they weren’t sure if a bikini was a good idea, and seeing the French team will change their minds.
Have you seen this?
I like how they sell it like she made a strong case for the bikini, but really all she says is “It’s hot and so we don’t wear many clothes.” Then they say “it’s not about eye candy” while giving a link that says “Click to see pictures of beach volleyballers in brief bikinis.” Yeah, I’m sure it’s so we can get a feel for how hot it must have been that day.
THANK YOU. I’ve been noticing this all week — and seething. I’ve even considered making a LJ post about it, but felt just so unutterably weary I couldn’t even get started; the sexism just never ends. Now I can link to your excellent post.
I’ve hated the women’s volleyball “uniforms”, but haven’t seen men’s volleyball, so wasn’t aware of the extreme disparate coverage. What I’ve particularly noticed is the divers and gymnasts. Male divers — suits are tight and skimpy, but the bottom hem goes down almost to the crease where leg joins buttocks. Female divers — the bottom hem is halfway up their buttocks, and the side is cut so high over the hip that they feel obliged to “tug” everything down as they exit the pool. I haven’t seen one man need to “tug”; his suit is cut to stay in place.
Similarly — women gymnasts’ uniforms are cut halfway up their buttocks, and to the top of their hips. Men gymnasts get to wear full-leg length stretchy tight things. If the men can do their routines in full-length gear, you can’t convince me that women “need” skimpier gear for freedom of movement. Bah, humbug!
I was actually wondering this while watching the beach volleyball tournaments this past week. Every year the women’s outfits seem to get smaller every year.
Audrey:
Is it more comfortable for women to play competitive sports in tighter tops for the extra support they provide?
A buxom woman needs to find the right balance between painful compression of the breasts versus avoidance of annoying and painful bounce. I personally prefer a very tight bra for sports – one that is exactly the right size for me and permits zero bounce.
The type of top under discussion, though, would provide zero support for a buxom woman. Looking at the beach volleyball pictures up top, my sports bra wouldn’t fit under one of those.
FP:
If anyone here can point me in the right direction for some good readings on the male gaze, and the whole homosocial ‘women as goods to exchange’ kind of writing, it’d be appreciated…
The following two links from the blogosphere are, I think, close to what you mean:
http://aaru-tuesday.blogspot.com/2007/09/eyes-have-it.html
http://bitchyjones.wordpress.com/2007/07/29/little-wonder/
Lauredhel, thank you very much for this post.
Lauredhel, I blogged this for the Sunday Mail.
audrey apples last blog post..short but sweet
Great article, Audrey!
Right women are the ones who have to dress sexy because the outfit is different from the men and we all know how women would love to see men in tight speedos and bras.
Here’s the latest, from the “multi-award winning Chief Sports Photographer” of the Times Online, Marc Aspland.
A series of faceless butt and bikini shots, prefaced with this:
[courtesy of ninjapoodles, via twitter.]
Gaargh! Gaaaaaaaargh!!!! “Here. Have these women. Enjoy them. That’s what they’re for”. ALL things beautiful eh? No beautiful MALE bodies at the Olympics? No sunsets? No heartwarming moments to capture? OH…all things beautiful, meaning all thing young chicks I’d like to bone compiled in one handy list to share with my mates… Mmmm…MSM masculinity is charming.
I’m a female cross country runner, and most of the girls on my team tend to wear only their sports bras and spandex shorts when training, especially when it’s hot out (like it must surely be in Bejing in the middle of August) because you don’t get as much chafing from an excess of fabric between your legs, and when you sweat, it’s not soaking a baggy cotton shirt, which sticks to your body uncomfortably and weighs you down. So while I agree that many of the commentators’ comments can be quite sexist, I’m also sure there is probably a performance reason behind all of these “unnessesarily skimpy” uniforms.
Also, during races, boys and girls are both required to wear the same uniform, short running shorts and a tank top, which is significantly less comfortable than a sports bra/top and spandex shorts.
“I was thinking that the women would need some sort of supporting bra anyway, so why not just make that the top layer”
Because each layer serves a different function and trying to get one layer that does both doesn’t always work very well.
If you look at the pics of men’s indoor vollyball above, you’ll notice that a lot of them are wearing “bike shorts” underneath their uniforms. This is generally for both support and so that they don’t have to worry about occasional lack of coverage during the course of the match (similar to bras). The outer uniform, though, is supposed to be designed for the ease of the judges/referees – hopefully without hindering movement. (As Emmie’s comments illustrate.)
It’s certainly possible to make one layer uniforms that do all this, but it’s often easier to go ahead and use two layers. Especially since, even with the homogeneous body shapes you get within each sport, different people have different support/coverage needs, but the teams uniform needs to be, well…uniform.
All of which, btw, means that not only are these skimpy uniforms unnecessary and sexist, they often aren’t ideal for actually playing the sport, either. That’s what kept bugging me the most as I watched the women’s beach vollyball. I may be wrong but, just couldn’t get over how uncomfortable those suits looked.
I don’t think women choose to be objects of sexuality. It’s more of the observer (generally men, being the visual creatures that they are) focusing on this and imagining that the women are responsible for what the men are seeing. It’s all about perception, just like the popular saying: “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”; except in this instance, sex is in the eye of the beholder.
I cannot tell you how grateful I am to have StumbledUpon this site – I had noticed the differences in athletes uniforms and was very unsettled by it. Definitely a double standard and not a balanced lesson to be teaching our children.
I will be back to read more comments – thank you for posting this. I am pleased to see I am not the only one who felt this way.
ResilientHearts last blog post..Open Letter to the World Outside of Brain Injury
Hi there ResilientHeart, and welcome.
I’m genuinely very surprised by the assertion that athletes are forced to wear certain types of clothing in their events. Am I just being really naive here? I’ve always assumed that Olympic class athletes would prioritise their performance over the supposed aesthetics of certain outfits, and I would have thought that the Olympic committee would too.
Of course nothing justifies crappy, sexist sports coverage of the kind you’re describing, and I know a few people on here have mentioned specific regulations around athletes’ clothes, but I’m really surprised. Are you saying that the world’s top athletes are forced to wear clothes that might make them feel self-conscious or uncomfortable? Surely that would compromise their performance? I find the idea a bit shocking to be honest and I need convincing that it’s really the case.
Please don’t think I’m being facaetious, I’m genuinely surprised by this, I’ve always assumed athletes wore what they were most comfortable doing their sport in.
There’s no need to take anyone’s word for it, Bransby. An official copy of the 2008 regs has proved difficult to find, but you can read the Athens 2004 Beach Volleyball 2004 regs right here at the FIVB website. The uniform regs are pp 38-42.
Well I’ll be buggered! Thanks for that Lauredhel, I am now fully convinced and suitably outraged. That really is quite amazing, I mean it’s bad enough that the world’s greatest athletes are forced to comply with this kind of nonsense, but as the photos above illustrate there is a blatant, shameless exploitation and objectification of women going on here, and this from the fricking Olympics!! Worse still I was able to live in totaly ignorance of the reality of it all until I stumbled across this blog. Seriously, I’d been watching stuff like the Olympics and thinking “hmm, bit skimpy, but if that’s what they’re comfy in, fair enough”, then this! People like Paula Radcliffe, one of the UK’s greatest athletes, has to wear a sodding bikini to run in because some tit thinks it looks foxy?? I’m really cross now.
women’s judo was on the tele…
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