Why do women athletes compete in clothing so skimpy it could be underwear?

[FortiesCromarty]

This occurred to me whilst watching some of the athletics on TV, the women are in small pants and crop tops, yet the men wear vests and shorts, their bodies totally covered.
It can't be a question of that's what clothing gives the fastest time, else the men would be running about in their skimpies.
My DH says he thinks it's fashion, the women have chosen to wear these clothes as they are proud of their bodies and want to fit in with the other female athletes. Yet I do not agree and feel profoundly uncomfortable at the sight of adult women competing in an international event as if they'd forgotten their PE kit and their coaches had made them do the race in their bra and knickers.
What do you feel about it?

Are you the borg for the patriarchy, namechange?

Or if not, how come your rather anecdotal experience should, um, matter at all?

Always pleased to hear details of someone else's sex life shared inappropriately on the net, though.

"We all know that the Olympics is about supreme skill and achievement, not about pervery."

That's what we want it to be about but in the case of the beach volleyball i think the Benny Hill theme tune would disagree with you.

I was replying to SQ, LRD, and I was using the royal 'we'. The inference was that men have been letching over volleyball players. I said we aren't all doing that. I suppose it is anecdotal, but what is wrong with that? I think you are reading something odd into my comments.

Oh and since when did not doing something count as inappropriate sharing?? I thought you would be pleased that we aren't all bashing the bishop every time we see a bit of bare flesh. Some of us can resist the urge.

Well, anecdote isn't really demonstrating much, is it?

To make an analogy (unrelated to the thread of course), it's like the way I'm sure we can all think of individuals who would seem to fly in the face of the theory of evolution from primitive man, but that doesn't prove the theory of evolution is wrong, only that there are sometimes anomalies. One or two examples don't prove one way or another.

As to 'can't resist the urge' - um, that's rubbish, and I really, really did not need that much personal information about you.

*primitive human, sorry, that must be a sexist slip of the tongue, or something.

The quote should have been 'can resist the urge', not can't. I am seeing Freudian slips here. Are you projecting on to me?

Ooh, now that isn't nice.

And if you can quote me any of the lengthy graphic descriptions of wanking, I would be most grateful.

Oh, shit, sorry!

I was being colloquial. I somehow got to the end of that sentence without realizing what it read as.

Please don't confuse it with an insult, I just meant, literally, you can't blame me the silly misreading cos you were yourself, erm, bigging up the act of masturbating rather enthusiastically!

I meant 'masturbating ourselves to a standstill' and 'bashing the bishop'.

I am trying to be a bit light here, but seriously, that's nasty language to read when you're describing watching olympians playing sport. Couldn't you just say you don't personally find them a turn-on, or you don't think their clothes are sexy, without putting those images in people's minds?

Lengthy and graphic? Deary me. Don't pick up Fifty Shades...., whatever you do.

I was trying to have a discussion with SQ. I was genuinely interested in what she had to say, but she isn't here right now.

And then you leapt in. Now this place is full of discussions on PIV sex, genital shaving, vaginal swabs, anal sex, prostitution and written guides to underage sex, so if a couple of my colloquialisms upset you I am sorry, but I don't think they are that out of line with the rest of this board.

And I meant to say, apology accepted.

namechangeguy

"And as far as beach volleyball players are concerned, I have not seen one participant showing off her huge surgically enhanced buttocks or tits. They look like what they are - hard-bodied athletes, not page 3 girls. There is nothing to perve over. "

I read that as being all about you and your personal preferences. Rather than a contribution to the debate. So you don't fancy beach volleyball players (what any of them, blimey) and you feel the need to tell us that here on a feminism thread. You need artificially inflated breasts to be able to knock one out.

Thank you so much for sharing.

Oh, no danger of that! I've read bits over people's shoulders and it makes me unreasonably sniggery.

I suppose the difference is that she, poor woman, thinks she's being sexy.

Sorry to leap in, I just figured we were chatting on a chat forum.

I'm not bothered by colloquialisms if you're not! Sometimes they just seem to apply or spring to mind better than anything else, I certainly have experience of that!

Oh. How did I miss that.

That's just horrible, SQ.

Incidentally I was in john lewis the other day and saw the following:

Advert for 3D TV -"get closer to the action than you imagined possible" and the image stuck on the TV screen was a man's legs sticking out as if he was sat on the floor, and a female beach volleyball player in a bikini plunging face first towards his lap.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Amd benny hill.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

I do think that a man talking about his wanking habits on this part of MN is absolutely different to women talking about sex and prostitution from the POV of feminism, amongst themselves.

I would have thought that was obvious but again, we live and learn

Male sporting fashions have definitely changed for the worse.

Please get rid of bulging Lycra running suits and bring back Boris Becker's properly short shorts.

The former show far to much, the latter were just right.

SQ, I did have you down as someone I could have a sensible discussion with. Due to the limitations of chat boards, it is possible to interpret a post in a number of ways. If that is how you wish to interpret my post, then I will leave you to it, and go back to reading my 'How to be King of the World' manual.

And LRD, you missed it because it was not what I meant.

I think SQ is making sense - what are you not following?

And what did you mean?

Sounds as if we are both getting confused!

I am certainly confused, so I will leave. I am beginning to care less and less about what goes on in here, to be honest. The twisting of words and double-standards are depressing. Goodnight.

Hmmm.... I don't really know much about athletics/time saving/special socks etc. but I can give a gymnast's perspective as someone who spent most of their childhood and teens doing gymnastics and ballet.

Growing up it seems like I spent half my life wearing pretty much wearing just a leotard (and yes no knickers for competitions or displays lest they stick out and spoil the line of the leotard!).
You know what, I never minded. I like that leotards/dance costumes are skimpy because apart from giving you room to move they show all the beautiful/powerful things the body can do.
Bare legs are good to show how much someone is extending their leg etc. I feel much more sluggish when I exercise in tracksuit bottoms etc. because I can't see whether my body is doing what I want it to or not. Incidentally, I think the main reason men can wear those long john type things is that mens gymnastics is more about acrobatics/strength as opposed to the dance elements which rely a lot on flexibility.

Slight tangent but I think spending all that time in a leotard has made me grow up to be very relaxed about my body as an adult - you lose all sense of self consciousness when you've had to strip off backstage (thinking about dancing now) in about 30 seconds in front of whoever else is there.

Honesty is always welcome, though lack of caring is a pity. Ah well, perhaps you'll feel better in the morning.

I do think you have been misunderstanding, rather than experiecing any word twisting, however.