Why do female gymnasts always look like that?

[LovelyBitOfHam]

I’m sure you know what I mean.

Hair tied back in a big scrunchie - the kind of scrunchie you last wore when you were 9 years old.

Glittery make up.

Plaits, braids and hair clips.

I understand a lot of sports have a uniform but ultimately, if you take a track and field athlete, a swimmer and a tennis player just before they perform, you wouldn’t really be able to tell which sport they play just by looking at them. But you can identify the gymnasts from a mile away.

It isn’t just at Olympic level either. Even the little girls in weekend gymnastic clubs have the same sort of style.

Is it some kind of male gaze thing? Or is there a “type” of girl who grows up wanting to be a gymnast? I’ve always associated gymnasts with the sort of girls who didn’t really grow up, but I’ve now realised just how wrong that is.

I think what they can do is incredible, and Simone Biles is great. But there’s something about the “look” of gymnastics that’s always bothered me, and I can’t put my finger on what it is. Anyone else?

But they do different events. You can’t be running and doing the vault in trousers with feet in them like the men do.

My DC does gymnastics, her club is serious but competitions don’t involve glitter or make up. They have to wear their hair up and off their face for safety first and foremost. They don’t say it has to be a bun but it is the most practical option in most cases.

Oh cool, another thread attacking female athlete's appearances. Because the world needs more of that.

Gymnasts put long hair back securely because otherwise it will interfere with their vision when they're flipping around at high speed. Some do that with scrunchies, clips, ribbons, some don't. Some wear makeup, some don't.

Sorry you missed the news, but scrunchies are back in fashion with teens and young adults.

Sex doll make-up? Your misogyny is showing. Croydon facelift? Along with your ignorance of the sport.

Where is the “attacking”?

I asked a question and many posters have given some answers which I hadn’t considered.

Why is it a juxtaposition? You're prejudice is showing.

Women can be perfectly competent, strong, confident without having to dress in traditionally male clothing. The fact you're so hung up on what they are wearing speaks far more about you than it does them.

@LovelyBitOfHam

have you not watched any of the track events???

I hate people who only think women can be taken seriously if they behave like men. It's so backwards it belongs in a different century.

Actually I was doing the fucking opposite.

I was wondering why it’s necessary that these girls and women who have strength, balance, flexibility, coordination, discipline and brutal training regimes have to compete in major competitions with two bits of ribbon in their hair. Why the leotards can’t just be normal leotards but have to be covered in glitter and sequins.

Watched some gymnastics the other day. They had sparkly leotards on but didn't notice hair or make up at all. I guess you notice what you're interested in and you're obviously interested in this aspect so that's why you notice it.

I didn’t see any ribbons in hair in the track events.

@GoingUpUpUp the hair/makeup and everything else I honestly have no comment on because I don't notice it if I'm honest. But the outfits and certain "still" images that are used online or in the news always seem very... selective. It's a shame because they're amazingly talented! How about shorts at least where they can protect their modesty!

Great, yet another thread attacking the appearance of female athletes who’ve achieved more in their lives than most of
us ever will. Just. Fucking. Stop.

Haven't seen ribbons in gymnasts hair since about 1986

It harks back to Olga Korbut but with glitter now

Presumably they like the glitter? The leotards are obviously personal taste. Some of them were really cool designs, others more plain. It's part of the sport that they wear that - the skateboarders were in widely varying in style but mostly excessively baggy stuff, it just helps them to feel the part in sports that are about performing. Sports that are purely about being the fastest, strongest or highest number of points tend to have much less variety in clothing styles but even then people like to put a personal touch. Strange hairstyles on footballers being one example

Who are you talking about?

It's not necessary

There are no marks for leotards

There are lots of different hairstyles

Some looks are more popular than others, and these women - average age 22 - wear what is fashionable for young women.

So your question is based on a false premise. But media does seem to focus on the sparkly and smiley moments. I suppose that affects public perception and has some influence on gymnasts' fashion choices. But those choices will change.

I'm sure our grandmothers raised an eyebrow at the gymnasts of the 1960s in their beehives!

Are you too young to remember Flo-Jo? Florence Griffith Joyner the Olympic athlete with the amazing nails and individual style? Surely women can dress however they want so long as it fits in to competition rules and safety?

Other than having their hair secured out of their face, gymnasts compete with a wide variety of "looks."

Not sure where these little girls and blow up dolls some posters are describing are.

When dd did gymnastics the hairstyle was a requirement for the lessons

When dd did ballet the hairstyle was a requirement for the lessons

There is no personal want or fashion choice about the hairstyle to do certain sports, it is a requirement, just like school uniform

Imagine thinking that your daughters school uniform is a statement of her fashion sense or she is only wearing it for the male gaze

Olga Korbut was more than 50 years ago.

Say you no nothing about girls gymnastic lessons without saying you know nothing about girls gymnastic lessons

And looked nothing like any of the 100 odd gymnasts I've watched compete. Where do you see the resemblance?

To be fair to the OP, I agree they are doing the opposite to ‘attacking’ women on their appearance. I didn’t see any ‘attack’, and, if anything, we’re taking a more pro-feminist look at whether gymnasts were feeling pressured to live up to a certain ideal. Having taken in other view points, the OP has now looked at it differently. Surely this is what these sorts of debates do when they are healthy?

Exactly, you’re supporting my point.

WHY is the hairstyle a requirement? WHO is making these decisions?

Obviously I understand the need for it to be secured and tied back for practical reasons, but it just seems like it goes beyond that.