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?

Great post, malinche.

Veryproud, can you imagine the flack any woman on the Olympics team would get from the media if pubic hair showed?

Of course it's a general issue that women are expected by society not to show pubic hair.

For most women, when they go to work, their uniform or work clothes covers that area so they can remove or not.

But the point where the OP came in is that professional gymnasts have a "work uniform" that does show that area, effectively taking away the choice to not remove (given media pressure).

I've learnt from this thread that there are options like nude leggings, which is good.

"Beach volleyball started on ... The beach. One of the first matches in Europe was in 1927 in France in the nude. It's a beach sport. They wear beach attire."

So why aren't the men in speedos? Or at the very least, in swimming shorts and no tops?

Sorry to mention this yet again but did we establish whether there was even such a thing as professional gymnastics and if so where in the world and how many are there?

"have the choice. They can choose not to shave or wax or whatever. Unless your saying that women have to shave and don't have the choice to go au naturel?"

What do you think the press and social media would make of a gymnast who had visible pubic hair?

Absolutely. Completely free choice. Wax. Or have your pubes plastered all over the worlds press and the Internet.

Sorry- are you being deliberately obtuse? Or ironic or something?

And excuse me? You were very definite that people wear beach wear to play beach volley ball because it's called "beach volleyball" But you have no idea why that should apply to women only. Riiiiggggghhht..............

I am not fucking picking on the sportswoman...........Jesus Christ have you actually read a word I've said?

I am not making it her issue.

Oh, I give up. If you can't even be arsed to read what I'm saying then what's the bloody point. Let's just carry on telling girls that it's absolutely fine to be fit and strong and skillful and determined, but only so long as you are pretty and hairless and with perfect make up. That's fine. No problem with that at all. And let's make sure that any girl who doesn't actually want to conform to that narrow view of femininity is put off from the beginning. Because they always have a choice. Even if the choice is put up or shut up.

No one is having a go at your daughter volleyball. No one. No one is saying it is her issue. We are saying that the 'if you don't want to wear the outfit you don't get to compete' ethos is the issue.

An ethos that you appear to think is totally acceptable.

I don't think it's acceptable. I don't think it's acceptable that women have to wear tiny revealing outfits to compete in the sport of their choice. I don't think it's okay that it's accepted that, if you're a woman and want to play beach volleyball, you have to shave and wear make up.

I don't think that is what sport should be about. I want all women to be able to compete to the best of their abilities. I don't want women who feel uncomfortable wearing tiny outfits to be put off. I don't want women who have religious restrictions which prevent them from wearing tiny outfits to be put off. I don't want women who hate make up or who want to have a boyish hair cut to be put off.