Norway's women's handball team are awesome! And so is P!nk
If you missed it, the powers that be decided to hand out a fine because the women's team didn't want to run around in skimpy little bikinis showing off what they had for breakfast lunch and dinner whilst beating a ball about in the sand. P!ink offered to keep paying any fines they get.
Well, that's my summary in a nutshell. You can read all the details here:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/women-athletes-uniform-changes-1.6122725
I would however like to know why on earth ANYONE would have a problem with women wearing what they are in the below picture? They aren't wearing anything that stops their ability to compete effectively, and they aren't wearing anything that would give them an advantage for some wind-resistance reason, and they're happy. They look united and as a team. Who cares if they are wearing ski-pants rather than a bikini? I'm also pretty sure those shorts are a hell of a lot more comfortable to be in when you're having your period than the bikini. Wearing pads with a bikini is NOT great. Not that it affects me because they are not my preferred choice of monthly routine anyway - and in the summer I pretty much live in my bikini. My theory is, if you don't like it don't look at it.
Above image source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/women-athletes-uniform-changes-1.6122725
The reason why people would have a problem with those ladies wearing what they are is because it means they can't continue pleasuring themselves while watching their bums hanging out. There isn't another reason.
I went digging for the rules
And I came up with these photos from what appears to be the "rule book".
This is a screenshot of what they say the men must wear:
Above Image Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20210721063358/https://www.ihf.info/sites/default/files/2019-05/0_09%20-%20Rules%20of%20the%20Game%20%28Beach%20Handball%29_GB.pdf
This is what women must wear:
Above image source: https://web.archive.org/web/20210721063358/https://www.ihf.info/sites/default/files/2019-05/0_09%20-%20Rules%20of%20the%20Game%20%28Beach%20Handball%29_GB.pdf
By now everyone who reads my articles knows I'm a progressive woman
Do I think the uniforms should remain with the bikini-requirement? No.
I believe it should be a choice. However, if they insist on the ladies wearing that bikini bottom, I would like to insist the men's outfits change to wear a speedo with certain dimensions so that us ladies can also get a decent look at their package of jewels. Also, NO T-shirts for you! You are men, why are you wearing shirts? Set your man-boobs free so I can take a look! And while you're at it, part of the sporting code is to wax your chests so we can see ALL the definition of your muscles. Sounds a bit wrong, doesn't it?
Is it wrong to sexualize athletes?
I'm certain this will be (another) controversial / unpopular opinion that I have, however!
I don't believe it is wrong to sexualize an adult (to an extent).
Here's my logic. This lady in the photo is beautiful - she's sexy, she's covered, nothing is hanging out, she is comfortable and I'm pretty certain she would desire to feel attractive.
Above image and lead image by Pixabay User: Foundry
Do I have a problem with someone sexualizing me while I'm out of work? Not in the slightest - I've worked extremely hard to ensure I am fit, active, eat right (most of the time - insert wine-treat-giggle here) and that I feel good about myself. If a man (or a woman) wants to compliment me on how I look, tell me I'm sexy, I will smile and say thank you. Not because I'm arrogant, but because I appreciate someone saying something nice.
Do I have an issue with someone sexualizing me while I'm at work? I don't have a problem if someone finds me attractive - I have a problem with someone who decides I need to look or dress a certain way to please them. I'm me, I choose what I wear, if you don't like it, have this:
Image by Pixabay User: 3rdeyedezineo
Back to sexualizing athletes...here's a definition from Oxford:
sexualize
verb
gerund or present participle: sexualizing
make sexual; attribute sex or a sex role to.
"multiple studies found that the media sexualizes athletes"
I do find it to be quite ironic how the dictionary definition correlates with my article. I don't even necessarily believe that sexualization of athletes is a bad thing. I mean, the definition is, make sexual; attribute sex or a sex role to. It doesn't matter what your gender is, you are at some point going to be sexually desired by someone else, and you will sexually desire someone else. Therefore, MOST of us on this planet will at one time or another have a "sex role".
Here's something interesting from Wikipedia, source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexualization
Sexualization (or sexualisation) is to make something sexual in character or quality or to become aware of sexuality,[1][2] especially in relation to men and women. Sexualization is linked to sexual objectification. According to the American Psychological Association, sexualization occurs when "individuals are regarded as sex objects and evaluated in terms of their physical characteristics and sexiness."[3]
Athletes tend to be in excellent physical shape, they are what people strive for in terms of fitness. People are quite happy to put an athlete in a glossy magazine for fitness, yet they complain they are being sexualized? Number one, each individual can choose how they want to portray themselves. You can have two identical women, wearing identical bikinis, Woman A walks around with a pouted mouth, an arched back, a tilted head, a sly smile and a wink. Woman B, takes no interest in who is looking at her, or how she is carrying herself, she just is. A woman who is sexualized to a certain extent brings it on herself with her own actions, speech, mannerism and engagement.
Does that mean we should be fining sports teams because a woman prefers not to have her private bits hanging out while she's playing sport?
No. You're an idiot if you think that it's appropriate to do that. Allow women and men to wear whatever they collectively feel they should be wearing for sport purposes. If a woman's team wants to wear the bikini bottoms, let them. If they don't, who cares? My problem doesn't sit with the use of the word sexualization in a general concept. Athletes tend to be sexy. My issue sits with some ancient fuddy-duddy idiots who are wanting to get off on watching those women run around the beach with their butts hanging out. Those women did not consent to that, they didn't consent to having you ogle at them for the purposes of your own pleasure - they are athletes.
If those same women want to spend their own time whilst NOT working in a bikini, then take a look at them and say "wow". A woman being in sport doesn't allow you to dictate what she must wear for your visual pleasure. Just as I am woman, I cannot dictate what I feel a man should wear so I can stare at his jewels better and watch his bum while he runs around. If you want to see something to get your sexual desires satisfied, there's plenty of porn in the world. With plenty of people who are voluntarily in that industry - go support them! They do a fabulous job and they are absolutely gorgeous / sexy / stunning.
Anyone who wants to dictate what a woman must wear for the purposes of her chosen job should understand that if it's for the result of your pleasure, you can go take a long walk off a short pier. The same as myself in a work place, because I am a woman, I was expected to wear a skirt. Guess who never wore a skirt? I will not walk around a work place with a skirt on for some man's pleasure. I am quite happy that if you want to dictate that at your company and women want to wear a skirt, great! This woman doesn't.
Those athletes don't want to wear a bikini, and they shouldn't be fined because you would like to have some free soft porn.
People need a choice
Regardless of what it is, there is far too much that is being dictated in society, people have their own brains and they should be allowed to use them. Women are in charge of their own bodies, just as men are in charge of theirs.
I agree with 99% of what you said here. Look, at the end of the day I think one thing and one thing only determines, and should determine what anyone wears.
MONEY.
Because just like any sport, it's a business. If the athletes want to get paid they need to attract an audience. Should that attracted audience be based on what they wear, or how they perform? That depends on why the audience is there in the first place.
If scantily clad women in bikinis is what is driving the money, then they should wear bikinis unless their passion for the sport is so great they don't care if anyone bothers to tune in or buy a ticket to an event and they are forced to do it for free.
Me personally, if I want to see lady bits, I don't need to tune into a sporting event to do that. All I am saying is that it is not up to the players to decide necessarily. It is not up to the teams to decide, or the leagues to decide. It is up to the paying audience and sponsors to decide.
My guess is that the sport itself would outweigh the 'costumes' of the sport. But we don't necessarily know that.
All I am saying is that if these women want to make this stance, and want to make it into a cause, they need to also be fully prepared for any fallout from it. I think sometimes in instances like this these people tend to get their paychecks and think they come out of thin air, rather from the audience who actually pays their salary.
Are they willing to be jobless like Colin Kaepernick (I know I spelled that wrong). If so, by all means, put it out there and let the audience tell them their answer.