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Original poster

Wimbledon ladies not wearing coloured shorts is a bit of a shame

30 replies

morelippy · 03/07/2023 13:15

My understanding was a group of women players had campaigned for the AETC to relax its all white policy to allow the women to manage their periods more easily.. doing away with the fear of leaks on their white shorts/pants.

I had expected to see them taking advantage of this and all wearing them as a show of solidarity. Now those who do will look like they're announcing their period all

OP posts:
FriedEggChocolate · 03/07/2023 13:16

Agreed. I'd hoped to see women wearing the darker colour as a general choice.

mintich · 03/07/2023 13:17

Agreed. They could do the green or purple, so it's Wimbledon colours.

ForeverFriendsAndPierrot · 03/07/2023 13:18

Maybe they actually prefer white and are so used to it that a colour may be too distracting?

Why risk losing a match for a colour?

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General sports
wildfirewonder · 03/07/2023 13:21

I think them having the choice is fine, it will evolve naturally I expect.

DonoghueVsStevenson · 03/07/2023 13:36

Was literally just wondering about this when I switched on the Parry/Dart match. Of course many players won't have their period this fortnight, others will manage theirs by taking certain forms of birth control and yet more will have very light periods that mean the whites aren't a problem. But yeah, I did think it means for women who do wear dark knickers it does look a bit obvious maybe. Glad they have the choice though.

Phos · 03/07/2023 13:54

Oh dear lord. I have never once seen a woman tennis player wearing dark shorts and thought "Look! She's on her period!"

Maybe, just maybe, some women like the all white rule at Wimbledon.

MrsCarson · 03/07/2023 14:05

Maybe all their kit ready for Wimbledon was ready before they changed the rules. When did they actually change it to allow coloured shorts?

PuttingDownRoots · 03/07/2023 14:07

Do tennis players have sponsorship on their Wimbledon kit? So it might not actually be their choice...

LittleLegsKeepGoing · 03/07/2023 14:36

One of the tennis players (Ons Jabeur) mentioned this as a problem - that the players wearing non-white would be announcing their menstrual cycle to the world.

It would have been a better idea to make the acceptable standard a dark colour then there's no second guessing about why an elite athlete isn't wearing white this week instead of focusing on their sporting abilities.

Original poster
morelippy · 03/07/2023 14:42

Phos · 03/07/2023 13:54

Oh dear lord. I have never once seen a woman tennis player wearing dark shorts and thought "Look! She's on her period!"

Maybe, just maybe, some women like the all white rule at Wimbledon.

You've missed the point. In previous years there was no choice because of the all white rule. To wear dark shorts was requested by a group of women players. Great they have the choice now.
My point was I'd expected some solidarity, esp in the first year and after a successful petition

OP posts:
Timeforchangeithink · 03/07/2023 14:59

Maybe they just like wearing white?

2bazookas · 03/07/2023 15:19

@Phos · Today 13:54
Oh dear lord. I have never once seen a woman tennis player wearing dark shorts and thought "Look! She's on her period!"

Nor have I ever watched Wimbledon and seen a woman player with bloodstains on her white knickers.

I wish women would stop looking for new ways to be the shamed victims of misogyny.

BaronessEllarawrosaurus · 03/07/2023 15:23

Women you can choose anything you want (so long as you make the choice i approve of)

Original poster
morelippy · 03/07/2023 15:50

@2bazookas How is a group of young women successfully changing a rule they were uncomfortable with misogynistic?

OP posts:
Nowtbettertodo · 03/07/2023 16:49

Or maybe they ARE on their period and don't want to wear the dark colours as everyone would assume they are on?

Phos · 03/07/2023 18:45

morelippy · 03/07/2023 14:42

You've missed the point. In previous years there was no choice because of the all white rule. To wear dark shorts was requested by a group of women players. Great they have the choice now.
My point was I'd expected some solidarity, esp in the first year and after a successful petition

Show quote history

You've missed the point perhaps some women CHOOSE to wear white. You know, that choice that was so petitioned for?

RoseAndRose · 03/07/2023 18:54

Well, this year I think we can assume that those who are wearing white knickers/shorts are doing so from choice.

Wimbledon is unique in insisting on almost total white (and restricted sponsor logos) and it is possible that players (of both sexes) enjoy marking the occasion with a different set of kit - one of those weird habits/traditions that become part of the very fabric of the tour

Original poster
morelippy · 03/07/2023 19:04

As I originally said, I find it a little sad they didn't CHOOSE to support the women who stood up for what they wanted and the right to choose

OP posts:
RoseAndRose · 03/07/2023 19:08

The women's matches have barely begun.

Only 12 women have been on court so far.

LadyVictoriaSponge · 03/07/2023 19:15

morelippy · 03/07/2023 19:04

As I originally said, I find it a little sad they didn't CHOOSE to support the women who stood up for what they wanted and the right to choose

You are being ridiculous, the women can wear dark coloured shorts if they wish, why do they have to show ‘solidarity’ it’s not as if Wimbledon have disallowed the wearing of dark shorts, then ‘showing solidarity’ would actually have a point, the battle has already been won.

Original poster
morelippy · 03/07/2023 19:17

Clearly some women have different ideas about supporting other women and what matters to them.

Hey ho.

OP posts:
LegendsBeyond · 03/07/2023 19:22

Azarenka was wearing dark shorts today. Only noticeable when she bent over.

Fobabett · 03/07/2023 19:25

morelippy · 03/07/2023 19:17

Clearly some women have different ideas about supporting other women and what matters to them.

Hey ho.

Indeed they do. Reality is many sportswomen are fine with wearing light kit and don't find the small chance of leaking as being the worst thing in the world. I don't think it's the case that women are obliged to support every campaign made by other women just because. Wimbledon has a lot of heritage and perhaps they actively want to wear white, perhaps lots of the women later in the tournament will wear dark shorts, perhaps they won't.

sleepyscientist · 03/07/2023 19:28

morelippy · 03/07/2023 19:17

Clearly some women have different ideas about supporting other women and what matters to them.

Hey ho.

What about those that want to keep the tradition of all white alive? I also imagine most professional woman don't want the hormonal fluctuations of menstrual cycles (ovulatory phase is associated with an increase in injuries) so use hormones anyway hence it's not relevant to them.

RichardMarxisinnocent · 03/07/2023 19:39

RoseAndRose · 03/07/2023 19:08

The women's matches have barely begun.

Only 12 women have been on court so far.

Where do you get 12 from? 46 women have completed matches so far. I guess some matches have finished between your post at 19.08 and now, but fairly sure 17 matches wouldn't have.