be outraged by the sexism in girls swimwear and underwear

[ZippyPeer]

At the outdoor pool in my town today, it's one for younger kids. All the girl children wearing close fitting costumes that show the shape of their bums all the boys wearing baggy swim shorts. There's a lot of climbing onto inflatables and on a number of occasions have to look away as I'm seeing much more of a girl than I want to.

Then doing laundry, realised that the girl pants are all thin cotton and the boy pants much thicker and with a broader gusset. If my girl kid is sitting cross-legged in the girl pants there is a risk of getting an eye full, whereas the boy pants do a better job of keeping what's in the pants private.

Why is this and what can be done to make clothing manufacturers stop being so sexist?

Same issue for women's sportswear. I get infuriated that nearly all sports vests/tanks for women come in a "racerback" style. This just guarantees that I get sunburnt.
My DH has no trouble finding a running vest that properly covers his shoulders and back.

DD wears short style pants and a rash vest and shorts when swimming.

Just don't buy the crappy knickers?

Just Googled swimming trunks for girls, and there appears to be pretty much an endless choice for anyone who wants it.

I have a tall but extra slim boy with narrow hips and I find almost all boys trousers far too wide on him. When he was younger, I used to buy jeans from the girls section because they were guaranteed to be narrower around the hips and more fitted in the bum. Grim really.

lots of women are trying to get things changed…and yet, as I said, the patriarchy…

Lots of women don't seem to want change.

If you're blaming patriarchy for this, then I think you need to blame those who were supporting the patriarchy, which in this case, is women.

Yanbu.

I bought my dd new underwear from JOHN fucking LEWIS and still have the crotch issue.
the narrowest part of the crotch is barely 2 inches and she unsurprisingly told me she finds them uncomfortable As they are jammed up into her labia

I mostly buy her boys shorts - girls ones ar eall hot pants.
And i just buy her boys swimwear now
I'm "lucky" in that she loves paw patrol / dinosaurs etc so I have some options

Aggravates me too. I have a DD who’s 2 and due a little boy in sept. I’m sick of seeing crop tops and short shorts for her in shops, bikinis in her size etc. I looked in 3 different shops before I found a full sun protection swimsuit (arms and legs covered), she has a regular swimming costume for swimming at leisure centres but outside in the pool or on holiday I like her to be protected from the sun, the boys ones had loads of colour options and cute prints, DD could either have cherries or hearts. I’m sure I’m going to notice it more when DS is a toddler too.

My daughter is 11 and has started wearing "boys" swim sets recently. Shorts and rash vest. She also wears short-style underwear and generally buys clothes from the boys section of shops -especially shorts, shirts, and trousers. She also wears a lot of hand-me-downs from her older brothers and we buy "boys" school shoes.

The styling of "girls" clothes in shops is hideous but you can shop from the other aisles.
Similarly my 14 year old son often buys jeans and knitwear from the girls sections or unisex brands.

See also boys t shirts made of thicker fabric
and boys socks seem better quality compared to to the thin girls socks.

I am very short and ended up buying t shirts for tall so that it didn’t look cropped. I also buy men’s t shirts for this reason.

I don’t believe it is controlled by the consumer. There isn’t much choice if on a low income.

This just isn't true

There are plenty of running vests for women that aren't racer back. Plenty of t shirts that will mean you won't get sunburnt. Also your top back isn't more likely to get sunburnt than your shoulders/arms. Any vest will put you at risk of sunburn

There are plenty of swimshorts for girls. Even standard shops like H&M, next, M&S, mango do swimsuits in girly patterns

Any surfbrand will do girly patterns of shorts. They aren't hard to find.

agree re sportswear.

Who remembers the pics of the male and female volleyball teams? A stark example of the difference.

@MsTamborineMan Google women's running vest and see what the first hits are.
Also, I am not a cretin, and I am fully aware that some part of me will still be uncovered in a non-racerback tank, however, I find it impossible to reach all the uncovered parts successfully with suncream in a racer back tank. In a non racer back tank I just need to apply suncream to my arms and shoulders rather than contort myself to reach a weird semi circle portion of my back.

My overall point is, is a non racer back tank for women shouldn't be a niche item that I have to hunt down online because the default style offered for women is something that shows more skin.

Celebs perpetuate it though. Check out this years Glastonbury headliners for instance. Olivia Rodrigo- dressed like a sex worker. Charli xcx - also dressed as one. Lourde - better, but still has to show stomach for some reason. Wolf Alice (great band) but again super revealing and suggestive.

Compared with young men higher up the bill, 1975 (no idea who they are but seem popular - dressed normally). Noah Kazan - dressed normally… men nearly all dressed totally bland like you’d go to the supermarket and no one would take a second glance. At some point women need to say, thanks but no thanks, we’re here to sell music (or films, or whatever else), not sell sexual desire.

Agree with you entirely OP. But this really is parent driven, don't buy the clothes and they won't make these clothes. No need for girls to be wearing skimpy knickers or sexy swimwear. I see plenty of girls who wear trunks (made for girls) and fully covered swimwear It's on the parents imo.

It doesn't stop with girls either. The women's stuff is as bad. I spend way more time in pyjama bottoms than most on MN would approve of. I always try to find ones which have pockets and are preferably dark in colour. I try to avoid ones with cutesy slogans or images (I'm 48, not 5). It's like looking for unicorn PJs. My choice generally is to move away from the cheaper stores or buy menswear which is usually too long and a tight fit around the hips.

Totally the norm around here. From year 3 onwards.

If only silly women could just be more like men….

once again - I refer to the complexity of a patriarchal society in which women are socialized and valued according to their sexual appeal to men and women/girls clothing is produced as a product of this

women do not dress in a vacuum

Agree

How are women to blame for clothing which sexualises women/girls?

women and girls are valued for their looks and this seeps through to every part of society - including clothing. manufacturing and purchasing decisions are made as a result of this culture.

Yes, this was 10 years ago when my dd did it.

Lots of places do shorts/trunks/hipster brief type underwear and swimwear for girls - as always with these threads you're shopping in the wrong places/not looking hard enough - Lindex and Polarn o Pyret are very good for underwear their girls boxer briefs are exactly the same fabric as the boys.

Less outrage more googling.

@LittleHangleton

those of us who are larger need bras as it’s uncomfortable to not wear one, it’s not just about aesthetics

We live in a patraiachal society which women can choose to embrace or show a minimal bit of resistance too. If any of these performers I mentioned were being pressured into dressing like, that they could easily come out as powerful well known names and shame the record labels/individuals concerned.