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?

Anyone who diminishes the achievements of the athletes at the Games by reducing it to a discussion about fashion really needs to go and give their head a wobble.

Yes those judges and rule makers have really lost perspective on what matters totally agree. They need to wobble their heads and forget about marks for outfits or pubic hair.

Wow.

People, do not discuss outfits, costumes, trends or fashions.
Volleyallmum has decided it's not acceptable.

I think gymnastics is a bit of a weird one in that to me at least, it's half art, half sport (especially rhythmic gymnastics) No one (hardly?) complains about dancers/actors suffering for their art/wearing daft costumes.

As an adult I've worn a skimpy white leotard for a ballet performance, yes there was a lot of grooming and I had to go out and buy special tiny knickers...but it was totally worth it for the effect it gave.

Almost all women below the age of 35 remove all of their pubic hair anyway.

Under 30. I don't do anything to mine.

Your first link says half, not almost all. The second is about US college students, not under-35s, and reports 82% of them having removed it at some point during the time period surveyed.

Even if most women did choose to shave all the time, though, that's no reason to require anyone to! Gymnasts should have the choice to wear a leotard, shorts or leggings. At the moment, there's a selection bias - of course the young women involved will say they don't mind wearing the leotards and getting marked down for adjusting them if their butt glue (!) doesn't work, etc. Anyone who was uncomfortable with all this would have dropped out of the sport before getting anywhere near that level. I hated having to wear a tiny skirt and big gym knickers at school, but at least the knickers covered my entire butt!

I was thinking that the other day, Strawberry when someone else was going on about volleyball bikinis. They would have conniptions at dance outfits, makeup and bling.

I thought some of the leotards were gorgeous this time anyway, particularly the China and Brazil ones. Would be happy for DDs to wear them. I would have been in heaven to wear a blingy leotard like that as a little girl.

In ballet you usually wear tights with leotards for exams past a certain age/grade (ballet socks before that). I'm laughing at the idea of them marking down for a pubic hair.

Irish dancing sock glue, prompted by pp, (I have some) we use for ballet; leotards and socks.

Not one flying fuck do I give what DD wears to compete. I would be just s proud of her in anything or nothing - it's her sport, her choice to compete and I am incredibly proud of all she has achieved. The clothes just aren't relevant. The blood, sweat and tears are, the clothes I could not give a fuck about.

So screw what she or any other athlete thinks of it, then! I linked you to the opinions of some other athletes on it, on the other thread. If you missed it, no, they don't all like it!

For the record, I have chosen another sport, which is in the Olympics, although I will never be at that level, and offers a traditional, practical, unrevealing uniform.

I expect there will be a small uptick in people coming along to grassroots sessions, post-Olympics, including adult women. I think uniform is going to be a factor there.

Does anyone remember that 'increasing participating grassroots sport' was supposed to be one of the good reasons why the UK should apply to host the 2012 Olympics? A year later, it turned out the expected surge in participation just hadn't happened, cue lots of journalistic analysis. Wonder if anyone has considered this aspect? 50% of the UK is women; we're not a minority.

I thought Japan's was lovely :) Am really looking forward to the floor final tonight.

Your attitude is bizarrely defensive, Volleyballmum. You do realise this is not an attack on you or your dd, right?

Yet there's tons of children do that every week and not a word on here.

Well for starters there hasn't just been an Olympic event televised around the world in Irish dancing for it to stir up the conversation. Guarantee you there would be more than a word if there had been.

Secondly, my son does Irish dancing and doesn't have to wear make up, wigs or short skirts which really highlights the issue being discussed here. The unfairness of outfit rules for girls in comparison to those for boys in the same sport.

Thirdly, I've always hated the make up and wigs involved in Irish Dancing, so there's a word about it for you.

The sport hasn't been attacked, the outfit rules have been questioned.

Veryproud, Irish dancing and ballet outfits both been slated on several threads over the years. Gym more so though, as always.

It ISN'T personal though.

I would be thrilled if my dd was really good at sport, any sport. I don't blame you for being very proud. I too would be super-proud!

This wouldn't stop me looking at some of the rules and some of the outfits and thinking, huh!!

Another great thing about my uniform- I can still compete in piddly little club competitions during heavy periods, even though I presently have to use super tampons plus winged super pads. Even if I was in the Olympics, I wouldn't have to go on the pill or take period-postponing medication. Which is good, because I've been medically advised not to take hormonal contraception due to past side-effects.

I suppose young girls should just work out whether they're going to have heavy periods at any point in their life before they sign up, really. Yes?

Why would I be a hypocrite? I haven't said you or anyone else needs to be campaigning have I?

The wigs are for practicality, though not everybody wears them by any means. Unless you're blessed with natural curls then you're stuck in rollers or some such for hours before a feis.