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.

You find it demeaning for other women to choose what they wear?

I really think that's a you problem.

You are not being humiliated or demeaned by what someone else chooses to do with their own body, and you do not get to dictate how people feel about their own bodies being on display.

Pick up your remote, turn off the television, and go find some grass to sit in while wearing whatever clothes you choose for yourself. Your preferences and feelings about a stranger's body do not take priority over their own.

@1offnamechange Obviously I can't as you and I both know that no such statistics exist.

Yes, I'm sharing a view partly based on my own experience (which is wider than you suggest) and certainly not intending it to be taken as an irrefutable fact.

Thanks for enlightening me that I'm ridiculous. It's really helped to change my perspective on the matter.

Yes this is what I think too. I think it’s a real warping of the “woman aren’t objects” argument to suggest they should be free to parade about with their butt cheeks hanging out. It’s making them objects.

To clarify, I was saying given they depend on public support, the public shouldn’t have to be forced to look at their bum no matter how “ empowering” they find it to display it. And I bet lots don’t.

That's on you I'm afraid.

They are there to show off their skills and to compete, it's your choice to focus on their arses.

Yes. They can wear knee-length suits like the swimmers if that better fits their own priorities.

I participate in a sport where there is a significant amount of indoor training to build strength & fitness in the club's gym, which has no air conditioning. Often men's & women's squads train at the same time. When the gym gets too hot, the women train in shorts and bras and the men train topless. No one gives a monkeys, they're there to earn medals not ogle eachother. It's a comfort choice.

If you haven’t seen one blokes arse cheek you obviously have t been watching the diving!
If it makes you uncomfortable don’t watch x

No one is forcing you to look.

Not at athletes, not at people on the beach, not at people going clubbing.

You have no rights at all to comment on other people's clothes.

I might totally disagree with what you choose to wear. I have no right to comment on it or prevent you from wearing it even if I find what you are wearing demeaning.

Well it really isn’t actually. It’s pretty obvious.

I can't think of any sport where the focus is purely on the buttocks?

I think generally the cameras focus on the whole body.

Do you have a similar fear of naked knees?

What isn't?

I like the street sports where I suspect they were offered aerodynamic outfits and went "nah I'll go with jeans"

Err, the OP is about athletics...

I believe 'athletes' is encompassing a wide range of sportspeople.

I would call rowers athletes or gymnasts - in that sport is an athletic pursuit

athletic
physically strong, fit, and active.

Women as objects is opposite to women as athletes.

Objects are static unmoving, to be looked at.

Athletes are moving, admired for their physical achievements not how they look in their outfits.

Willmafrockfit · Today 20:40
MrsSkylerWhite · Today 20:37
Presumably they have a choice?

but do they really?

guessing yes? If they say to their team coaches that I don’t want to wear knickers or a leotard but rather shorts because that is what I feel comfortable competing in, the coaches, under more scrutiny than they’ve ever been, would say ok,

I was a long jumper many (many 🤣) moons ago. I wore standard issue navy knickers. Wasn’t a problem.

Would you have a problem with that?

It makes me feel a bit uncomfortable
too bad, so YABU

Now, women should be able to decide if they want to compete wearing shorts or "pants", whatever is more comfortable and they feel more efficient for their sport.
It should be about what they want, and what they want only. The sensibility of some randoms doesn't come into it.

For performance reasons obviously. It's really not hard to understand

I have posted two links about two athletes who were not happy with kit provided. Guessing their views should be ignored too?

'It makes me feel uncomfortable'

Look, if you're trying to squeeze into some of those athletics shorts or swimming outfits I can understand the discomfort - maybe take them off whilst you're watching the telly.

Given the obsessive focus on performance that you need to have to get to the Olympics, and that national bodies pour into these sports to research performance, I assume they are wearing these costumes because it helps them get some kind of edge. I remember when they banned the full-body swimsuits because it gave an unfair advantage, so I assume the opposite is also true for things like athletics - they're wearing racing briefs because they run faster than if they ran in shorts.

And I don't think they have a choice, unless they don't want to race at those elite levels. It'll be: wear the thing that gives the best performance, so if you prefer shorts, you're probably going to get beaten.

@NerrSnerr

Their views were not ignored.

They found ways of managing their situations through speaking up and challenging it.

It's happened in many sports, allowing women and men increased choices in what they wear - like Unitards in Gymnastics.

If the athletes want change, they can change things.

But change because someone watching them on telly doesn't like what they're wearing -no way!

Could you not have scrolled on by when you read the title. But for some reason you were compelled enough to comment on a thread you don’t think needs to be started.

It is strange that people on MN click on a thread knowing what the content is just to say that don’t like the idea of another thread on the same topic.