Gender issues have emerged widespread as the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games draw near over the dresses female athletes are required to wear during competition. Concerning the topic of female sportswear, a debate has been initiated regarding the appropriateness of the sportswear or the Exposure of female sexuality in sportswear kits, resulting in important questions such as sexism, equality and portrayal of female athletes.
Traditionally, women’s sportswear has been deemed as unpractical and has sometimes been assailed by airless patriarchal clichés of women’s figures. Appearance towards the Paris Olympics has raised the issue of whether the female athletes are as respected and considered as their male counterparts in the sports apparel they wear. The IOCs and the individual sports federations have been criticized for what is considered the open disregard for the performance requirements and the power of choice of the women athletes.
Among the highly evident aspects that define this debate, the focus placed on the aesthetic appeal of the female teams’ kits can be considered one of the most striking. While men are presented with more stylish and aerodynamically cut sport wears that are befitting the modern athlete, the same cannot be said for women. For example, it is easy to question the motives behind some of the short lengths of the uniforms worn by many teams or an apparent deviation of most teams’ uniforms from functionality and moving comfort in the bid to make them fashionable. Are these outfits to optimize the performance in the games or festivals or are they aiming at the figure that women should portray?
This criticism relates to a larger cultural discourse on YouTube regarding both men’s objectification of women in general, and female athletes in particular. It is appalling that the players are dressed like ‘bikinis’ giving it the perception of ‘beach beauty’ instead of ‘beach volleyball’ and therefore can only be considered as con<|reserved_special_token_255|> to women’s achievement of success and effectiveness in performance. Critics who champion for the change usually state that these uniforms make more focus on the looks of these athletes rather than on the games. The call for even sexier uniforms or functional wear is not a call for comfort it is indeed about liberation – being able to handle the core business of the games without being distracted by clothes that Dakar too much on sex appeal.
A recent controversy involving Germany female gymnast and their decision to wear full-body leotards is an example of this fight. They wanted to do this… to defy the stereotyped conventional fashion of women’s sports wear claiming that they wanted to be dedicated to performing on the track without having the temptation of watching arsed, cropped tops and skin-tight shorts. Of their decision, there was enthusiasm and discontent because of the variation in the perception of women concerning the attire of the female athletes. Thus, some of them saw this as a move towards increasing the level of freedom and convenience, while others saw this as a reference to the violation of tradition in the sport, thus introducing the conflict between progressive thinking and traditions.
Further, social media has become the platform for athletes as well as fans politically active where results can be received in a short period from the relevant authorities. Social media platforms, especially Twitter and Instagram, enable female athletes to share their experiences, and go against the dominant dress codes. Many athletes have expressed their concerns over what they claim is sexist policies in matters touching on uniforms through hashtags and viral posts. They have brought the discussion to the surface hence pressurizing the sponsors, federations, and the IOC to change their stand on what women in sports should wear.
The opportunity of the Paris Olympics that is to come can act not only as a threat that will force the company to design more unifying tunics but as a chance to propagate work-wear empowering women as well. Stemming from the goals of this movement is the direct participation of the athletes in the development of the garments. This doesn’t only help to create a setting within which sportsmen and women believe their needs are being satisfied but it also pushes for the accommodation of diversity and equality. Thus, it can be understood why such changes are needed as the sports world starts to pay attention to female athletes’ demands for improved wearing.
As discussions surrounding the Paris 2024 Olympics intensify, it is paramount that the focus remains on what is at stake for female athletes: their performance and comfort. An implication of the controversy surrounding women’s sports kits to the present day concerns the relation between sex, sports, and culture. It marks a turning point in the sports culture, these athletes are struggling not for themselves but for the next generation of women athletes.
Finally, it is possible to state that the Paris 2024 Olympics offers a chance to reinterpret how women’s athletic wear is seen and produced. With pep over beauty too, the global community may help in the redesigning of the script towards women in sports. Many women now are counted, seen, and celebrated in athletics but achieving equal opportunity for women in athletics – or in any environment – does not merely entail counting them, but transforming their reality. As the discourse continues, one thing is clear: it is high time for empowering, respecting and equalizing of men and women when it comes to sportswear.
