Why don’t the men wear Speedo’s?

[ZaraCarmichaelshighheels]

I was watching Breakfast news this morning and the English Commanwealth men’s and women’s teams for beach volleyball were demonstrating their game, it really struck me how different the team kit was between the sexes, the men had on long vest tops and knee length shorts, the women were wearing crop tops and tiny briefs which whilst playing became a thong. I have no issue with the women wearing the sports bikini but why don’t the men wear Speedo’s? Why are women’s (beautiful) bodies exposed but the men’s (beautiful) bodies are covered up? It irrationally irritated me this morning! I’ve posted similar pictures to what they were wearing for a visual aid!

[happydappy2]

It’s amazing that the women agree to be so scantily clad....almost as if they don’t have a choice

[Gronky]

Do you imagine the men wearing Speedo's with a vest or without?

[PotholeParadise]

At one point it was mandatory that female players wear bikinis, which was a patently see-through attempt to increase its popularity as a spectator sport. No-one told the men they had to wear speedos, so they never stopped wearing shorts. The rules have been relaxed since then, but expectations were set.

[MrsWooster]

Always irks me. Same with sprinters-women showing flesh, men in Lycra. There should be a performance-best outfit that’s unisex.

[user1294625849274]

I wonder how many replies you're going to get telling you about the very important reasons the women must wear microscopic clothing for safety or aerodynamics but the men don't.

It's quite sad that it's so normalised.

[ListeningQuietly]

Swimming today there was a chap (aged about 60) in what can be best described as thong trunks

the tighter clothing is probably much easier for jumping around
I certainly prefer tight clothing for workouts
but men in tight shorts could make viewers lose their lunch

[Gronky]

A quick Google turned up this from the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball:
www.fivb.org/EN/BeachVolleyball/Document/2020/Rule50/FIVB_BVB_OG_Teams_Uniform_Guidelines_FINAL.pdf

In Appendix 2 (page 14 onwards) there's actually several options for women while men have no choices as to their uniform. One of the options actually features longer shorts than the men and, in cold weather, women can wear full length trousers while men have to wear the same shorts.

[wagtailred]

I wonder if it puts women off playing so our team isnt as good as it could be.

[Antibles]

I entirely agree OP but I'm not sure I actually want to see men playing volleyball in Speedos. A man's bollock accidentally popping out of his budgie smugglers is more likely to feature in my nightmares than my sexual fantasies.

More seriously, the women should absolutely have the option for more coverage if that picture is the current mandatory uniform and they would prefer otherwise. If I had the guts and were one of the athletes in question, I would be tempted to grow my pubic hair to its natural maximum and watch the organisers have a coronary.

On the subject of bikinis, there also appears to be a new trend for female celebs to have their entire bottoms hanging out of thong bikinis. I predict in a couple of years they'll simply be wearing a piece of string around their waists and a postage stamp on each nipple.

[ZaraCarmichaelshighheels]

@Gronky

A quick Google turned up this from the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball:
www.fivb.org/EN/BeachVolleyball/Document/2020/Rule50/FIVB_BVB_OG_Teams_Uniform_Guidelines_FINAL.pdf

In Appendix 2 (page 14 onwards) there's actually several options for women while men have no choices as to their uniform. One of the options actually features longer shorts than the men and, in cold weather, women can wear full length trousers while men have to wear the same shorts.

Interesting, thanks, I’ve just been googling and it seems it used to be a requirement for women to compete wearing a bikini but the rules changed in 2012 so women from different cultures could compete.

[Goosefoot]

I ssupect to some extent it relates to the origins of beach volleyball, which is beaches, obviously, I believe in the US. So players tended to wear something based on beach ware, which for women tends to be rather like a bathing suit. American men though rarely wear speedos, they are more likely to go for board shorts.

[PotholeParadise]

There used to be an actual regulation about how long the sides of bikini briefs could be- 7cm.

[user1294625849274]

There used to be an actual regulation about how long the sides of bikini briefs could be- 7cm.

Humans depress me.

[ZaraCarmichaelshighheels]

@Antibles

I entirely agree OP but I'm not sure I actually want to see men playing volleyball in Speedos. A man's bollock accidentally popping out of his budgie smugglers is more likely to feature in my nightmares than my sexual fantasies.

More seriously, the women should absolutely have the option for more coverage if that picture is the current mandatory uniform and they would prefer otherwise. If I had the guts and were one of the athletes in question, I would be tempted to grow my pubic hair to its natural maximum and watch the organisers have a coronary.

On the subject of bikinis, there also appears to be a new trend for female celebs to have their entire bottoms hanging out of thong bikinis. I predict in a couple of years they'll simply be wearing a piece of string around their waists and a postage stamp on each nipple.

I don’t think I would want to see them in Speedo’s either really considering what could happen! I just found the contrast in uniform this morning quite startling. I know what you mean about the thong bikini, I blame Love Island.

[Gronky]

but the rules changed in 2012 so women from different cultures could compete

I'm not terribly familiar with sports (I barely even watch the Olympics) but, at the moment, it is still a requirement that a team compete in the same uniforms so I imagine there might be pressure for some competitors from others. I mention the lack of familiarity because I wonder if there are comparable sports with multiple uniform options (for women or men) where the teams are allowed to compete in different uniforms at the same time. It seems like that would be a positive further change.

[highame]

Swimming today there was a chap (aged about 60) in what can be best described as thong trunks........but men in tight shorts could make viewers lose their lunch

and
I entirely agree OP but I'm not sure I actually want to see men playing volleyball in Speedos. A man's bollock accidentally popping out of his budgie smugglers is more likely to feature in my nightmares than my sexual fantasies.
😂🤣😂
Sports wear designers take note ^^

[TeiTetua]

It is common and expected in our society for women to wear a lot less clothing than men.

[HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime]

I always find this odd particularly compared to the sports that are actually in water, competitive swimming racing costumes are knee length and cover more skin than outfits for most other sports.

[Melroses]

@Gronky

Do you imagine the men wearing Speedo's with a vest or without?

Without please.

[nepeta]

I recall reading about one sports (it could have been football) where a coach or someone higher up in the organisation wanted women to wear skimpy clothing so as to maximise male viewership. That is probably the real reason for the differences in what men and women wear in some sports.

Of course its feminist theory interpretation is rather different, going on about stuff such as women's bodies are either private property (in cultures where women must cover) or public property (in the Western pop culture), and that in either case the actual usefulness of the human body is not the major focus when the body is female. Because of the strictly defined right to look at those bodies, either by all men or by those men seen as the rightful owners of said bodies.

[NerrSnerr]

Same with sprinters-women showing flesh, men in Lycra

For major championships men and women get the choice. Not sure about things like diamond league but assume sponsors give an element of choice. Mizuno definitely do. For the Olympics British athletes going to 'kitting out' is seen as a big event. All athletes get the choice of kit so women can wear cropped top, vest and shorts (knicker or cycling)or Lycra suit. They choose how much flesh they show.

[SetYourselfOnFire]

If I had the guts and were one of the athletes in question, I would be tempted to grow my pubic hair to its natural maximum and watch the organisers have a coronary.

🤣🤣

[dudsville]

I'm not into sport, but i love it that beach volley ball is played at such a competitive level, and i imagine the players taking like they do in films, like dude, gnarly. Obvs films of my youth were a long time ago! More to the point though, op, i've watched this phenomena throughout my life. Whilst i image the material musty be amazing, it simply cannot be comfortable to wear such skimpy pants while performing amazing feats of physical stamina. Apparently the early romans competed in the nude but it always made me think about friction. Unpleasant.

[fascinated]

@TeiTetua

It is common and expected in our society for women to wear a lot less clothing than men.

Little girls too

[BaronEssoStation]

Men have to cover up lest the women become all randy and cannot function normally.