Team USA track and field kit for women is needlessly revealing and sexist, women athletes have said after Nike unveiled its outfits for the Paris Olympics
What is it with Nike and sexualized athletic uniforms these days (see MBA see-through pants)? Did PornHub invest without anyone noticing?
I am pretty aghast at how revealing that track outfit is. It's already bad enough how short women's running shorts are compared to mens; if you have even slightly thicker thighs they can chafe pretty badly!
Not as much fun as the title, and more to the point:
Lauren Fleshman, the US national champion in the 5000m in 2006 and 2010, shared even harsher criticism in an Instagram post, writing: “I’m sorry, but show me one WNBA or NWSL team who would enthusiastically support this kit. This is for Olympic Track and Field. Professional athletes should be able to compete without dedicating brain space to constant pube vigilance or the mental gymnastics of having every vulnerable piece of your body on display. Women’s kits should be in service to performance, mentally and physically. If this outfit was truly beneficial to physical performance, men would wear it.” She added: “This is not an elite athletic kit for track and field. This is a costume born of patriarchal forces that are no longer welcome or needed to get eyes on women’s sports. ... Stop making it harder for half the population @nike @teamusa @usatf.”
I have no idea if that's a legit response BUT in the event that it is, that uniform in the pick is not the same as what they have for this next round. This is it, and it is way way way unacceptable. I used to have lingerie undies like this and I hated them, I called it the labia splitter.
They do it because ultimately, they get away with it. I understand athletes have worked their asses off to get to compete (especially in the Olympics), but at some point if they genuinely want change, they need to take a stand — either wear something less revealing, or boycott their events. Get enough people to do it, and maybe it’ll send the message.
Hey, some of us are only tolerant of degredation! /s
Though really, my only problem is this isn't what the athletes want (well, and the slew of other peoblems this situation is indicative of). I think it'd be hilarious if athletes could go traditional all the way to the nude. No sharkskin swimming suits, no state of the art track shoes, nada.
Maybe then they'd stop breaking records every year just for getting technological assistance...
Then we can make an "enhanced" Olympics with steroids and fancy suits and the works, and REALLY see what humans can do on their own with the juxtaposition.
As sus as the leotard is it's optional and they do have an option with shorts if they don't want to worry about accidentally exposing the entire world.
Don't really see a problem with it since there are other options. If you wanna show your new Brazilian to the world, you do you.