To think that female athletes could be in shorts rather than arse-cheek-revealing pants?

[Corksoles]

I've just watched several athletes with tan lines that suggest their usual and thus presumably preferred leg wear is short length. Why isn't that the uniform style for the Olympics? (Although shout out to Ethiopia - nice shorts!)

I can see the track athletes' (and could see the gymnasts') arse cheeks. I don't get it. It makes me feel a bit uncomfortable, not least as presumably a fair chunk will be on their periods. And if I was a rather brilliant 17 year old, on this huge global stage, I think I'd rather wear what I was used to.

Haven't seen one bloke's arse cheek.

YABU - let's see women's arses. Must be for sport and not because these decisions are taken by old men.

YANBU - more functional shorts.

I the leotards are quite nice this time around. I like the team gb ones the least because we have the most blatant sportswear sponsorship logo. It was particularly noticeable on the grey spangly leotards

Do you mean you don't understand why most of the women wear suits that cover so much more than most of the men do? It's to keep their breasts covered and compressed against their chest so they don't move much.

@AGoingConcern
hilarious
no, i am talking about the bottoms on display

Presumably they have a choice?

As they have a choice, I assume that the wear what they feel most comfortable in and hope that most spectators are marvelling at their athletic prowess rather than ogling their arse.

Do not tell us what to wear,
Teach the boys not to stare.

And the women in this case, it would seem.

The athletes choose, they can wear shorts if they choose to.

It's possible they choose not to because they believe the skimpier atire gives them competitive edge, or it could be because the more "attractive" they appear, the more they can raise in sponsorship deals.

@Hotsunights yes it is my problem I suppose. I can't help that I find it inappropriate for young girls/women to be wearing such revealing clothing be it in sports or the local park. I grew up in quite a conservative household so maybe that has a lot to do with it.

I personally just don't want to see people's arses or other parts of their bodies. I hated being around topless men in the small town we were at on holiday in Italy and was glad when they were asked to cover up by the locals as the locals found it disrespectful. Same for the girl who they asked to cover up who was with them in the ice cream parlour.

I don't know people are just people, I control myself and what I want on my body and as long as it's not in my face I just leave people be, hence why I tend to keep my distance and go to places that tend to be for older people.

The men wear longer shorts for the precise reason that they don’t want bollocks on display. Obviously that’s not a problem for female athletes.

Tbh this is a bit beside the point. Probably loads of them don’t get periods due to training.

But the real point is reasonable: keep it a family show.

but do they really?

I always thought they chose to wear them. I used to run competitively on track (not olympics admittedly) and I remember liking the leotards etc as felt it looked cool and professional. But there was always option to just wear shorts and vest. I think it’s just the fashion just now

@Willmafrockfit Femke Bol runs in shorts as opposed to briefs.

I run, one a whole different level, but I still take it quite seriously. I don't wear knickers to run in because of chub rub 😆 but I do wear much shorter shorts for racing than I do for training. They're lighter, cooler and you can move better.

I feel you are judging my post very harshly making all sorts of assumptions on my views on what women can or cannot do with their bodies. It seems this topic is extremely triggering for you so I won't engage with you any further.

It doesn't offend me but I hope they are making a truly free choice. It must be hard to break away and wear something different to the currently accepted norm and different to your team mates. That's a big part of the reason so few girls wear trousers at secondary school. Sure they could choose to but in reality it's more complex.

DD1 is a competitive gymnast. As I understand it, it’s only in the last few years that British Gymnastics have approved wearing shorts in competitions. Points also used to be deducted if bra strap slipped and became visible.

Most Olympic athletes have a choice of options - usually the "knickers", leotards, shorts, cycling shorts and leggings. Some teams have a hijab option as well.

So this is what the athlete has chosen.

I'm confused I haven't said athletes wear their training kit to the park?

I did see a few runners today but all wearing normal gear no bits of anatomy hanging out...a few women probably needed better supportive sports/running bra but nothing like like some of the athletes the OP has highlighted.

In any case there comes a point where it isn’t about choice it’s about decency.

Even when the Greek olympics were in the nude, women weren’t allowed to watch so even in that semi-nudist society there were limits on what was seen as suitable for mass public consumption. Where should the line be drawn? Is crotchless fine?

My dd is a sprinter who competes at County level. She preferes shorts but many of her peers choose to wear the skimpy pants.
I don't understand it....but its up to the individual which kit they pick. Every official kit offers a range of options.

Reminds me of grammar school days - girls had little skirts for PE lessons but could only wear them for hockey. For all other sport including on the school field we had to prance about in our brown school knickers. Boys wore the same shorts for all their sports. We were all mortified and found it very unfair.

We must have been at the same school! And they were phased out as it was seen as demeaning to the girls to have to prance round in knickers.

Yes.

If there are athletes asking for support to be allowed to wear something not offered by their federation or under their specific sport's rules then I will absolutely support that. Beach volleyball and gymnastics (among others) have widened their allowed attire rules in recent years and I'm 100% for that.

But the paternalistic "oh but these women can't actually be making their own choice because look they chose something I don't approve of" tripe is not empowerment or feminism. Women can choose to follow fashions or not. They can choose to prioritize coverage or comfort or the feeling of looking in the mirror before a competition and thinking "I am such a boss." Elite athletes know infinitely more about what works for them in competition than you, so support them in their efforts instead of telling them what's good for them.

I run in the County Cross country league (at the back). The young women and girls choose to run in knickers even in the snow from about 13yo. I don't know why, I'm certain there's no pressure on them from the clubs, I doubt they're actually more comfortable than short tights, but that might be a reflection on the size of my thighs!

If it is pressure, it comes from wanting to fit in with the other girls would be my guess ot maybe wanting to dress likentheir hero(ine)s.

For the professionals, I suspect it might be to do with their chances of getting better sponsorship deals. 😪

um, can you point to the stats that have comprehensively surveyed all 3 million secondary school age girls and established that 'few' of them wear trousers?
or have you just looked at your dd and her friends and thought 'yep I'll extrapolate my sample size of 5 to the whole country?'

why do people make such ridiculous overarching statements based on absolutely no evidence?

Of the schools by me at least one doesn't allow a skirt option at all, others I assume do because I've seen a few girls wearing them but the vast majority wear trousers, as they did when I was in school in the 2000s.