I'm convinced.

So, why now and not in the 80s?

And is this a bad thing?

And what can be done?

Can we learn anything from the increasing sexualization of women athletes?

I don't know if you've seen the swimming suits for the Olympics but they seemed pretty similar. In fact they covered up quite a bit (no speedos and the material came down to the knees.)

those beachvolley outfits are VERY little!

Worse yet, compare the builds of female and male gymnasts. Female gymnasts look like underfed 12-year-olds, male gymnasts are all muscled but wiry, like Spiderman.

I really don't think this is sexualization at work. The more skintight outfits really do aid in performance.

Also, Elena - how is that anything notable except that it's biology and the way the human body works when it's trained in gymnastics...? The whole point of it is to be strong but small and light.

Eleanor, then why are the men's outfits NOT skintight, if it's performance-enhancing?

Eleanor: I'm saying, female gymnasts aren't fit 20-something-year-olds in their prime, and male gymnasts aren't scrawny, small boys who can bend their joints like circus performers and who are too old for the sport when they hit 18.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one to notice this. I've been commenting throughout the whole olympics now, asking my friends why the beach volleyball women have to wear bikinis. The response has overwhemlingly been "why are you complaining? ...it makes being a spectator more fun! ...etc." and this is from the women.

It this some way to popularize women's sports? If there is more skin, more people will watch? It bothers me to no end.

Anon - I don't know why they don't, it would probably help. I've played a lot of sports throughout high school and college and wearing baggy shorts and big t-shirts never helped, they just weighed me down. Any serious athlete will tell you that the smaller, 'tighter' uniforms are so much easier to manuever in.

On the other hand, some sports need heavy, bulky clothing for everyone -- judo, aikido and kendo are the prime examples. And you don't see that much difference between men's and women's uniforms in fencing (where it would be stupid, *stupid* to leave the body unprotected) or the rest of martial arts that don't hinge on gripping the opponent's clothes like karate or taekwondo.

(I did aikido for a while, and if you're a woman you're typically wearing a bra and a t-shirt under your gi, so you're usually even more overdressed than the men -- and wearing cotton trousers, hakama and a heavy cotton gi doesn't make it particularly difficult to move around)

Elena: exactly. A cursory look at the Olympic judo matches will show exactly how much a gi slows a competitor down.

before the speed suit men showed more flesh than women in their speedos. why would women look good in mens uniforms anyways. the worst is when women in basketball and such wear the mens uniforms, it is rather unflattering. the reality is that womens and mens bodies are shaped differently and so must be clothed differently to look best.

and well theres water polo, no speed suit there. the men wear speedos.

"

Eleanor, then why are the men’s outfits NOT skintight, if it’s performance-enhancing?"

they are when it matters. whens the last time you saw loose shorts type swim trunks on a swimmer.

the sexual attractiveness of womens bodies and mens are fundamentally different.
its why women get paid more as models. this is undeniable.

I'm with Eleanor - it is about performance. So why aren't men wearing them - why, the post explains it wonderfully: cause they'll look silly. So, in fact, it is THE MEN who are being limited by gendered perceptions of appropriate clothes, not the women.

Any notice the clothes worn by the women taking part in the heptathlon? Skimpy is redefined. e.g. www.flickr.com/photos/richardgiles/2770041410/

If there is actually sexualization taking place, then a valid question would be: Who are the ones committing it (in terms of the sports attire)? The designers of the outfits, coaches, sports TV producers, etc? I wonder if there are any female athletes who object to the outfits they are assigned to wear (because of perceived sexualization). That could be a blog topic of its own.

If they want the big money from commercials they got to show some skin - nudety sells... Besides Its not like they have anything to be ashamed off - They look bloody awsome. So shut the fat ugly bitch up, that wrote this comment.

I was discussing this at home, and someone brought up the idea that perhaps the women might actually feel more comfortable in a uniform that DOES show off their athletic bodies... some women might like the choice of athletic clothing that does not look identical to the men's, and even emphasizes that they can be feminine AND good atheltes. (some female athletes can be portrayed as "manly" in their behavior for their pursuit of a sport) Gabrielle Reese, I think, was one of the first women I was aware of who was able to be seen as a woman, and attractive, even though she was athletic and a professional sports star.

Speaking of volleyball: I've always seen them in bikinis or swimwear on tournaments on TV since at least the 90s. I've heard it explained that sand in your sports bra covered by another layer of a uniform can be annoying and uncomfortable. I also DO think there is a movement to encourage viewing by showing more skin, but I've always felt if a person if comfortable and confident in what they are wearing, and it's not violating any nudity taboos, it should be up to them if they wear it. I haven't heard of any of the athletes complaining about their uniforms as of yet.

I'll never forget watching the Olympics as a child with my family in Canada. We were watching the women's speed skating event when the announcer said of the lead: "She may not be much to look at, but she sure can skate."

I don't think men look ridiculous in skin-tight or skimpy outfits. And I certainly wouldn't complain if I got to see more of the athletic male bodies. But then, I'm a straight woman, and I find men's bodies attractive. I should think other straight women feel the same way; and if they think men look ridiculous in small outfits, it's just because they've been taught that being mostly nude and/or wearing tight clothes is what WOMEN do, and no self-respecting MASCULINE man would ever allow such a thing. But in any case, women's views are not considered when it comes to how athletes are dressed. All athletes are dressed to accommodate the male gaze; the reason men wear loose outfits that don't show too much skin (when it doesn't impede performance) is because seeing other men's bodies on display on TV would make all the macho, masculine male viewers uncomfortable.

The average American is virtually blind---to the effect of money on everything in sports. The reason for the recent variety in sexual design of sports clothing is that the creator of the clothing, who pays the sport to get the athletes to wear it, wants to sell retail copies to the average athlete back home. Designing for sexuality, whether it's tight or loose, and each has its benefit sexually for each sex---e.g., skintight clothing out of water is not comfortable for men---pays back the clothing manufacturer bigtime.

Further, if the female athlete did not want to wear certain clothing, in some cases as in professional beach volleyball where the CHOICE of the women is seemingly to wear as little as possible, she would not CHOOSE the outfits she does. No man is forcing them to wear these little bandaids. The women like it because they and their audience, of both sexes, likes it. What they choose is their choice, period, and so should it be.

I urge people bothered by this to fill their time with something other than imagining how they should run others' lives. You would discover being a lot less anal is a lot more fun.

“I don’t feel that wearing bikinis to play beach volleyball is a form of sexism. As players, we are free to pick any style of bathing suit or clothes to play in. I believe that the international league (FIBV) has a 4″ maximum on the hip width of the bottom but otherwise all the tournaments in the US allow players to wear outfits of their choice, including one-piece suits, shorts or leggings.

Actually, the differences in uniform look like a disadvantage to both genders. Men are weighed down and limited by their clothes because it's considered socially unacceptable for them to sport less clothing, while the women are objectified as their uniforms are intended to flaunt and emphasize their sexuality.

 What a stupid article. Female athletes are sexy and they have the best bodies. Their uniforms only make them hotter so stop fucking with the system. With that put aside, what the fuck do you expect? Should women's beach volleyball players wear sweaters and jeans during the game? They would be uncomfortable. Do you expect the runners to wear full-body metal Knight's gear just to hide every curve of their feminine bodies? Maybe we should have the swimmers wear rain coats to hide their physique. They are women and they are not wearing anything that women don't wear themselves when they're out and about at the beach or any ordinary Summer day. These articles are just so annoying and stupid. Most, if not all, female athletes have no problem with their uniforms so stop your whining.

I think everybody should just grow up. Being physically active. I believe that certain types of clothes are functional for certain types of activities.
I also wear what's comfortable for me.
If somebody has a problem with what somebody else wears, then don't look. Rather than complain, do some studying, and experimentation and find out for your. Educate yourself.

Women athletes today wear what they wear because they know the game: if we want the funding, the media coverage, the exposure, the endorsement deals, we're going to have to serve men -- meaning the predominately male viewing demographic and the male dominated world of television and print media -- by giving them what they want...SEX!
That's why you see, especially in a sport which I, a man, compete, track and field the bra and panties show, a lot of ass cheek, a lot of skin, and even camel toe. The "sex" is often played up with nail polish, lipstick and brightly coloured shoes and bun huggers (panties, in essence).

The media wants to sexualize the woman athlete AND the woman athlete wants to sexualize herself. Female athletes give excuses like showing their femininity or showcasing an athletic physique, "I worked hard for my body so why shouldn't I show it off?", they say. Listen, no female Olympian is going to go through years of hard work, dieting and discipline, mainly because she really wants the viewing audience in the stands and watching on television to ogle her body when on the playing field just for the sake of ogling her body.

No guy is going to watch women's pole vaulting because he wants to see a woman crack five meters. He's watching because he wants to see a women's CRACK!

You gotta be kidding me if you think a beach volleyball player can keep sand out of certain places better by wearing teenie, tiny bikini bottoms as opposed to her wearing biker shorts or volleyball shorts.

The young boys 18 years and under who compete at the relatively new Youth Olympic Games, it's all they can do, being in the height of puberty and hormones, to keep from having their hands down their pants when they see young girls competing at the Games in the same skimpy garb as women athletes.

The many online videos dedicated to female track athletes and female beach volleyball and female gymnastics and so on. My goodness, the comments from guys pretty much all have to do with sex and sexual objectification and they show how far things have gotten -- for good or bad, depending on your view. .
"This is better than porn."
"At 11:11, good girl, bending over for the male fans."
"Wonderful video, a jungle of wild asses."
You don't get many comments about the women's athletic prowess or her femininity or whether any of these women have a brain in their head or have a personality.

Here is one woman's comment about a video featuring
women's water polo, diving and synchro swimming:
"The creator of this video and everyone commenting is so disgusting. These women are out here doing amazing things and all you can think about is sexualizing their bodies. Get a life man."
The men responding to this woman:
"No, u!"
"Grow up."

Interestingly, an online video showcasing a women's rugby World Cup has hundreds of thousands of views and very little nasty or sexually objectified comments about these women.

The media uses female athletes to get what it wants, sex, and they in turn give the sex to try and get what they want.

But, is it working...for the female athletes, that is?
And, what impact is it having on their personal lives and their self esteem and on impressionable young girls?

I am a woman and have played various sports my whole life. I would not be able to play sports well if I had to worry about my bathing suit riding up my crack. So uncomfortable. They are definitely not wearing skimpy clothes for their own athletic benefit. I have always been bothered by the disparity between men's and women's dress. Why can't women wear shorts for a swimsuit like men do? With a shirt of course.

They wear those clothes because society promotes it. Parents cheer on their little girls in dance performances doing seductive moves in seductive clothes, parents allow their pre-teens and teens to leave the house in their underwear, and we all allow ourselves to be brainwashed by the cultural norms without questioning. We are sheep, going along with the loudest. A minority of people can and do change the views of the majority by being the loudest. Some girls may feel uncomfortable going bare, even with beautiful bodies, but feel pressure to do so. Some have bought into the big lie that you flaunt what you've got.

Women are easy to manipulate because by nature we are more agreeable. I see it all the time. We wear things we dont want to wear if we think we have to. Dominance and bullying can be subtle.

Women also have a pure desire to be beautiful and that desire gets twisted too often. They even hurt themselves to attain it. For example, high heel shoes or shoes that squeeze your toes. They are not comfortable. Most women's clothes are very uncomfortable. Men dress for comfort and practicality.

Porn is probably the biggest culprit as to why we sexualize women. Men addicted to porn objectify women and women respond by trying to be the object of their desire. Twisted and sick. Men need to get off of porn and think of women as someone's sister and daughter and women need to stop seducing men with their dress. This could help stop human trafficking and objectifying women athletes.

Women, we need to be like Queen Vashti and stand up for ourselves and say, "I will not wear that!"

Women can choose to wear more now if they want. Muslim athletes, for example, fully cover themselves. The women who wear the more revealing outfits choose to and also often to so when training and no audiences are watching them. I think it's doing them a disservice as individuals to suggest they are being bullied into sexualising themselves in ways they don't want to.

Male gymnasts will sometimes perform and compete shirtless and have said they wish they would be allowed to in the Olympics.