Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be offended at beach volleyball outfits

165 replies

Cheria · 10/08/2011 10:21

I have nothing against women wearing bikinis, or even wearing nothing if that's their thing. But beach volleyball is considered a serious enough sport to merit a place in the Olympics and I think that it can't be taken seriously when the players are required to wear skimpy little outfits.

Articles like this one seem to prove my point.

There is the argument that clothes don't make the sport, and I agree. But AIBU to think that this is degrading and more treated as eye candy by randy old men (and journalists)? My sister, who is much more feminist than me, disagrees, and thinks the outfits are a celebration of women's bodies.

OP posts:
ZZZenAgain · 10/08/2011 12:29

another link sleep

no, treat I agree with you.

Have been watching some beach volleyball on youtube just now and quite impressed with the sport
but heck the comments on there...
sleaze

Riveninside · 10/08/2011 12:30

Im still mulling over jiggling in budgie smugglers Grin

Sleepwhenidie · 10/08/2011 12:38

Thanks zzzen, have now looked at the other link and the two articles linked directly contradict each other, the second makes the claim about 6cm of cloth being in the International Federation of Volleyball rulebook, but the technical director of the same organisation is directly quoted as saying that the bikinis are worn by choice and that the players could wear longer tops and shorts if preferred and that in some Muslim countries they wear leggings....which seems an odd thing for him to say if there is a rule. Maybe the rule no longer exists?

begonyabampot · 10/08/2011 12:44

so we need to clear up the ruling or we could all be on here arguing for nothing!

fanjobanjowanjo · 10/08/2011 12:51

Needs bigger pants so the bums aren't eating the knickers. Could be annoying to try and play while picking knickers out of your bum every few minutes!

Doesn't offend me, as bikinis are normal for this sport, and loads of other sporty sports wear teeny weeny or tight outfits too. Runners, gymnasts (VERY good waxers), Swimmers etc etc.

PatriciaHolm · 10/08/2011 12:51

According to the official rules on the International Federation of Volleyball site here

players must wear "shorts or a bathing suit". No mention is made of bikinis. Indeed, another rule says that the referee may also authorise undershirts and training pants. Jerseys or tank tops are optional.

So it would appear that the bikini style outfits are optional; no-one is being forced to wear them. The Mozambique team pictured here are clearly wearing shoulder to knee cover ups.

begonyabampot · 10/08/2011 12:55

phew! So all in a strop over nothing then.

Original poster
Cheria · 10/08/2011 12:57

So the problem is not with the rules, it's wih the sleazy attitude of journalists and spectators. Seem to remember the rules being very very strict though - maybe that's just the interpretation

OP posts:
worraliberty · 10/08/2011 13:00

No different to Tennis really

The men wear long shorts and the women wear mini skirts that'd put some night clubbers to shame lol

SiamoFottuti · 10/08/2011 13:16

The woman in tennis aren't required by the rules of competition to wear those outfits though are they, so there is a major difference. And the tennis players are still wearing at least triple the material than the near naked volleyball players.

Quenelle · 10/08/2011 13:29

JustFiveMinutes I agree with you about choice. They should have the choice to wear something else. I imagine that the rulebook might them a choice but the sponsors don't.

The point I was making was that it's not just the clothes that makes beach volleyball a 'pervefest', because other athletes also wear skimpy knickers, albeit perhaps a cm wider. There's a whole image around the sport that has been cultivated by the sponsors and happily perpetuated by the media.

Sleepwhenidie · 10/08/2011 13:29

I agree the attitude is sleazy, but personally, in terms of children getting messages about what is attractive in today's society, I would prefer these women to be role models for our DD's than emaciated catwalk models or surgically enhanced glamour models and wags. They are strong, fit and healthy and probably enjoy showing off their fantastic bodies.

I read an interview with Victoria Pendelton recently where they raised the point of the criticism she got when she posed naked for a men's mag. She defended herself saying that she was very proud of her body, had worked incredibly hard to get it into the best, strongest condition she could, why shouldn't she show it off? And I thought, why not indeed! I admired it and admit to admiring strong fit men's bodies too, the swimmers, gymnasts and divers look amazing.

minipie · 10/08/2011 13:49

Those were definitely the rules for the 2004 Athens olympics (I've just found a set of those rules on line and they refer to the 7 cm maximum side strip for the bikini bottoms etc).

Maybe they've changed since then? Hope so.

SiamoFottuti · 10/08/2011 13:49

Can't they be strong fit and healthy in shorts though? Not much of a role model if its not enough to be an Olympic level athlete, if you are female you need to be able to be that in a bikini.

Whatmeworry · 10/08/2011 13:59

You're not falling into the tired old cliche of "it must be ugly fat old women hating younger pretty ones showing their lovely bodies" are you? Tsk Tsk

No, I'm watching others fall into the old MN cliche of "I have nothing against women wearing revealing clothing, but (insert reason why women should not wear said clothing here)" :o

Last week Hooters, this week Beach Volleyball, next week ?

SiamoFottuti · 10/08/2011 14:02

No, you missed a bit. The important bit. Its actually "I have nothing against women wearing revealing clothing, but I object to women being required to wear revealing clothing and have no choice in the matter.

greycircles · 10/08/2011 14:04

There is just too much bum on display.

Original poster
Cheria · 10/08/2011 14:25

Whatmeworry the difference between Hooters and beach volleyball, as I said towards the beginning, is that Hooters, rightly or wrongly, is open entertainment and titillation. I'm not saying I agree with it but at the very least it is cheeky. But entertainment nonetheless. You know when you go to one of their resturants what to expect.

Beach volleyball, on the other hand, is trying to establish itself as a serious competitive sport, worth of Olympic standards. That a sport dresses its female competitors like that belittles itself, takes away from the very serious hard work the athletes have to do in order to qualify. Turns a spectator sport into something just a little sleazy.

I see the two as completely different and incomparable subjects.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cheria · 10/08/2011 14:26

Oh, and for the record, Hooters doesn't bother me. Not a place I would choose to take my DH or DC, or anyone else for that matter, but it is a completely different issue to this.

OP posts:
NHScutback · 10/08/2011 21:45

Those women look amazing, washboard stomachs and strong, but not skinny. But those knickers look really small and uncomfortable and must be sweaty and get wedged. Plus they don't look right with the vest tops which offer greater coverage. I would want to wear some fitted shorts.

SiamoFottuti · 10/08/2011 21:51

They'll have barcodes on their arses for an overwhelmingly male clientele business to encourage spectators to take pictures of their bottoms with their phones.

Yep, thats not sleazy at all. FFS. Hmm

TillyIpswitch · 10/08/2011 21:57

Goodness, quite a few 'prudes' posting on this thread... 'smuggling budgies', 'boak at the thought of a load of men jumping around in speedos or thongs!'

What's wrong with you that you can't appreciate a man's body and want to see it exposed to within an inch of its life whilst performing an Olympic sport which requires years of training, dedication and skill?!?

Come on: sex sells!! Doesn't it?!

Some people are getting a bit too bogged down in the 'choice' aspect of this/feminism (which is a bit of a red herring, since you either wear the uniform of the team or you can't really take part) and conveniently forgetting the 'equality' aspect.

Bring on the semi-clothed, virtually naked bodies of all competitors, or none of them; not just the women.

Again, this is massively indicative of how well society self-regulates for men compared with how it doesn't for women.

Why are women so keen and/or expected to expose so much flesh in a way that men just aren't? Why does 'sex sell' when it comes to women's virtually naked bodies in a way that it doesn't for men?

Yes, female runners choose to wear less on the track than men, but why? Why do men wear Lycra shorts which come down to above their knees, whereas women wear the sporty version of knickers? Why do women tennis players choose to wear teeny tiny skirts, yet men see fit to wear long, baggy shorts, again to their knee? Yes, both are fully choosing their outfits but why do the women choose such skimpy ones, or more pertinently, why don't the men?

Again, bring on the nakedity [/made up word Grin] - no problem with it; as long as everyone is joining in the mass nude-off. As far as I can see, we still very much live in a society where expectations on men and women are noticeably different.

LolaRennt · 10/08/2011 21:59

I think yabu to worry about beach volleyball fullstop. Although just quickly if they are professionals presumably they wear what's most comfortabel for them so they win (or whatever Roxy or the advertiser tells them to wear, like any other athlete)

LolaRennt · 10/08/2011 22:01

WHo was that runner in the olympics who looked like he could put the other runners eyes out with his um um. well his massive penis actually. Too tired and not clever enough to think of a good euphamism