That having a bikini wax shouldn't be a necessary part of any job?

[ThatsWotSheSaid]

I've been watching the amazing gymnastics at the olympics and every time I can't help but wonder if they are all happy to have such revealing gym costumes. I would hate to have a camera doing a slow mo when I'm legs akimbo in the air wearing so little even if the camera angles seem to be discrete.

I have tried to look up if there is a rule about the cut and if they wanted could they wear little shorts but I can't find anything. I did read if they remove a wedgie they get marked down?!

AIBU to think that in this day and age it seems a bit odd that these elite athletes need to be so scantily clad and that they probably have more to worry about than waxing, ingrowing hairs and itchiness in the run up to the games?

Oops the thread has moved on a bit

Almost all women below the age of 35 remove all of their pubic hair I do but it wouldn't hold up to scrutiny nor would I want to scrutinised. I know I'm probably on a certain side of spectrum as far as finding hair removal difficult. I have dark hair that grows quickly and very sensitive skin that is shockingly white and shows up the slightest blemish. I'm not the hairest person I know and others have this issue too. Not everyone does but the point is some do.
I am not suggesting people should have a problem with the outfits or the waxing just that it seems like an odd and unnecessary requirement of elite sport and exudes those like me who would be unable to provide a smooth groin in the bright lights of the stadium and those who do not wish to remove their hair.

Just read the FIG artistic gymnastics rules for 2017-20, and in section 2.3.2 it states that female competitors can wear a leotard or unitard (full length legs), and can wear tights/leggings under the leotard. Leotards don't have to be high cut, they can effectively have short legs as long as they are not more than 2cm longer than the end of the buttocks.

It seems then that the onus is actually on the national teams to choose the style of leotard or unitard, rather than it be prescribed by FIG.

Another under 35 here who has never done any hair removal or trimming of my nethers. Hairless to me just looks like pornstar or prepubescent girls and I find neither of those looks appealing. Good job there was no way I was ever going to be skilled at ballet or gym :o

Is there any such thing as Plain Gymnastics, for those who just want to bloody compete and not worry about their pubes or makeup? Sounds like it could be popular!

Another 34yo who's never removed it all, ever. Thick hair here!!

Another under 30 y.o. who only occasionally trims with scissors (when the amount of thick wiry hair gets uncomfortable, mostly).

Are certain posters being deliberately obtuse GFs for reasons unknown, or are they genuinely this incapable of following an argument?

I should add that I went through a phase of shaving parts/all of it off, then waxing parts/all of it off (even tried having my bumhole waxed - that was not glamorous). I kept getting horrendous ingrown hairs every time, though, and eventually seemed to get an excruciating skin infection in my vulva - think from friction during sex too soon after the wax. It. Was. Horrific. And having scars there constantly from the ingrown hair disasters wasn't great either.

I read on the Bbc site that the GB female cyclists had been asked to stop shaving due to chafing... So maybe it evens out across sports...

I thought it was well known that the trend for women completely removing all their pubic hair was due to its ubiquity in porn videos.

Have I got that wrong?

I do wish people would get it through their heads that debate about and criticism of costume rules for various sports does not constitute any sort of attack on those sports or the people who take part in them.

I thought it was well known that the trend for women completely removing all their pubic hair was due to its ubiquity in porn videos.Have I got that wrong?

Have you ever read the Quran? That has been dictating that men and women remove all pubic hair for hundreds of years.

In Ancient Rome, Egypt and Greece, pubic hair was frowned upon.

So no, pubic hair removal is not the result of "pornification".

www.bustle.com/articles/48042-pubic-hair-trends-over-time-from-tweezer-happy-ancient-greece-to-your-last-painful-wax

No way should the waxing/grooming thing have an impact on Olympic sports, that would be totally unfair IMHO.

I've played badminton and volleyball for many years at local sports clubs, and can make a general observation based on that: age under 30s virtually 100% of them are nothing there (wax? shave? who knows!), age 30-50 vast majority are also "groomed" to some degree.

It's not something I'm watching out for but I do notice :) But I'm fairly sure that it is a change in norms over the past few years ... maybe more extreme in people who do a lot of sports?

So the majority of women under 35 are also observant Muslims? Or Ancient Romans/Greeks/Egyptians?

Those things you mention were the same when I was younger, but this trend for complete removal didn't exist. What has changed since then?

Someone pointed ou,t, can't remember which page, that the reason the men have bare shoulders and arms, but their legs are covered, is because the judges want to see the line and definition of those areas.
With female gymnasts it's the other way around. Their arms are covered, but their legs need to be bare so that the judges can see the line and definition clearly.

Male gymnasts judges want to see the arms and shoulders, so those areas are bare.
Female gymnasts they want to see the legwork, so those areas are bare.

But the rules say that you can wear tights under or over your leotard, or a unitard. So legs don't need to be bare officially. I guess it's more that it is customary for legs to be bare rather than required.

DD is a competing gymnast and loves wearing her competition and training leotards. For training sometimes she chooses to wear tight shorts over sometimes not. If she wanted to she could wear leggings too. A lot of the moves require tight fitting stuff for safety ie you can't do bars and vault in loose clothing as it could tangle under hands or tops slide up and end up over the face. DD can wear knickers in training and competition but it is correct that if the knickers are showing marks are deducted. It is the choice of the gymnast if they are willing to take the deduction if the knickers do become visable. DD chooses not. As for body hair I have yet to hear of a deduction for a hairy armpit or bikini line. Gymnastics is definitely not about looking girly it is a sport about strength, control and form. DD has muscles on her muscles but she also loves a sequin and a bow in her hair.

Could every back off with the reasonable explanations please, this thread is about how sexist everything is all the time and how poor little women are being sexualised at every opportunity.

Thanks

I wonder how much hair they have. Gymnastics stunts your development and growth, hence them looking so small and young. It is different for each person obvs but I have 2 girls and one has boobs and started periods got hair etc by the age of 10. The next, an elite gymnast, had nothing at 11. She also uses butt glue in comps to stop the wedgie issue. They all do love their leotards and looking as good as they do why not? Also competition leotards are ridiculously tight ads it show more definition of the arms and body

Puberty is mostly delayed for these athletes so spiders legs out the side of leotard is not a problem .

So no, pubic hair removal is not the result of "pornification".

I'm so pleased you came on here to clarify, fruit. What a chump I am thinking it was about porn when it's actually because people are following the Qur'an! What an idiot am I!

I wore leotards for sport until I was 14. I wore bras from age 11, and started my periods then. I don't remember ever having any issues with wearing a leotard or being self conscious? Everyone wore them.

I moved onto a team ball sport, and often chose to wear shorts and a crop top. I hated clothing getting in my way.

Even now at 34 and running I wear skin tight Lycra and vest tops (belly covering post two kids to stop the wobbly) it just feels better tbh.

And I'm 34 and have all my natural pubic hair. Took the kids swimming today, didn't even think to check if pubes were on show. I did check my nipples hadn't escaped my top however.

Of course pubic hair removal is due to pornification.

Glad that the international gymnastics rules give the option of shorts/leggings: has our national team done the same?