The German gymnastics team and the Norwegian handball team altered their uniforms in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. It isn’t just about fashion; it’s about controlling their own sexuality.
The concept of “modesty” is experiencing a bit of a golden moment at the Olympics, as women competing in Tokyo have stood up for their right to show as little or as much of their bodies as they please, challenging their sports’ rules on “proper” attire. This week the German gymnastics team wore a full-body unitard that has traditionally only been donned by women competing from more religious or conservative countries. The German gymnasts weren’t alone. The Norwegian women’s handball team made headlines after being slapped with fines for daring to show less skin, opting instead for the uniform their male counterparts wear. Those fines are being paid for by pop singer Pink, who tweeted on Sunday, “I’m very proud of the Norwegian female beach handball team for protesting sexist rules about their ‘uniform’.” I’m VERY proud of the Norwegian female beach handball team FOR PROTESTING THE VERY SEXIST RULES ABOUT THEIR “uniform”. The European handball federation SHOULD BE FINED FOR SEXISM. Good on ya, ladies. I’ll be happy to pay your fines for you. Keep it up. That uniform? The International Handball Federation requires women to wear bikini bottoms “with a close fit and cut on an upward angle toward the top of the leg,” per The New York Times. The sides of the bikini bottoms must be no more than four inches wide. However, men can wear shorts as long as four inches above the knee so long as the shorts are “not too baggy,” per The New York Times. Related The fact that it’s harder to find modest clothing choices as a female is no secret to women and mothers of girls everywhere.
