The difference between sex and gender in one photo

[OldTurtleNewShell]

I'm sure that the news of the Norwegian women's handball team being fined for wearing shorts instead of the regulation (max 10cm) bikini bottoms has been covered elsewhere, but I've just seen this picture emerge and I think it perfectly encapsulates the differences between sex and gender.
It shows the male team next to the female team in their respective official uniforms.
Presumably, as these are the official teams, these are the top athletes in that field for each team. It's incredibly clear from the photo that the men's team consists of far taller and more muscular individuals than the women's (even though the women are all quite muscular).
There's the obvious sex difference right there.
And then, there's the uniforms. The women are required to wear tiny and revealing outfits (even when they object) that simply aren't applied to the men's team. And there's the gender.
If someone wanted to transfer from the female team to the male one, they'd be unlikely to qualify as they'd likely not be as powerful or tall as the men.
If someone wanted to transfer from the male team to the female one, they'd almost certainly qualify as they'd be more taller or more muscular than any of the female team.
And if the entire male team wanted to transfer to the female one (theoretically of course), then it's likely most of the existing female team would no longer qualify and there'd be no female team members across either team.
There'd just be two male teams, one of which wore bikini bottoms and one that wore shorts.
I really like this photo. I think it encapsulates the issues perfectly.

[ArabellaScott]

100%. OP.

[GCmiddle]

I showed the picture to my 14 year old daughter and her jaw practically hit the floor. She is developing her feminist consciousness and this photo definitely helped to speed up the process.

[Morningstar66]

Hi Olympic commitee, we are all transmen competing in the handball but i can't play with the men because that would be discrimination against my sex but oh no i will have to wear the men's uniform otherwise that would be discrimination against my gender identity...

Done

[PaleGreenGhost]

@Ilikeknitting

This is so annoying.

I did suggest to my DH that the ladies team should all grow out their fanny hair until it’s down to their knees, let it flap about in the breeze and I bet the rules change pronto!

Oh my gosh I love this idea! The best protest ever!

And I totally agree, OP. Great observation.

[Flippanty]

Very astute OP, thank you.

[AssassinatedBeauty]

Women and girl gymnasts have always been allowed to wear a unitard with long leggings, or long leggings over/under their leotard. What tends to happen though is that national teams don't include long legged unitards in the official kit. The German national team did provide a long legged unitard as the standard kit in a recent competition, which briefly made news stories at the time. It would be good if other teams picked up on this and it became a normal thing.

[Mycatismadeofstringcheese]

Can you give us a twirl and tell us about your outfit?

www.dailymotion.com/video/x3cczcm

[Missy21]

Agree 👏👏

[LastSummerHere]

There is just no need for it! They're doing it, I think, because the sexualisation of women is like the air we breathe...it feels weird to them if it isn't happening, even to elite athletes.

[ScreamingMeMe]

It's really quite stark isn't it?

[WomaninBoots]

On the flip side wasn't there a hoo-hah this week about a female track athlete's kit being "inappropriate" according to an official? She was wearing pants and a crop top but not as revealing as the handball team kit...

[lightswitchmoment]

Wow, I'm amazed by this. Spot on OP. Is there a sport where males are subjected to such a revealing 'kit'. The only I can think of is diving but do they need such skimpy speedos?

[eightlivesdown]

It's supposed to be a sporting competition not for titillation, so there's no reason why the women have to wear such brief outfits.

[RedDogsBeg]

Echoing others, you have absolutely nailed it, OP.

[MotionActivatedDog]

Perfectly exhibited OP!! You are spot on.

[Weebleweeble]

Also the rape stats - The Crime Survey for England and Wales shows 151,000 people - including 144,000 women - were victims of rape or attempted rape in the last year for which these figures are available.
Men are the bigger, stronger sex, hence the figure.

[NothingTraLaLa]

My DD’s (all girls) school are running an extra-curricular handball course next year with the aim of getting more people into the sport. Obviously the girls will be wearing their normal PE kit for this, but if DD turns out to be good at handball and wants to take it further then I think this kind of gear is likely to be quite off-putting for a teenage girl.

[Nachthex]

Yes Tibtom & Last Summer, I recall it being imperative that the line of the hip of female gymnasts absolutely had to be seen by the judges, you know for 'technical reasons'. But strangely, those reasons didn't apply when the new type of girl gymnast appeared. Odd, that.

I also recall something about about if the new type of girl gymnast had to wear the briefer cut it would out them as a transgirl. But 'Tiffany' still being allowed to compete in shorts didn't. Or some such illogical twaddle.

[malloo]

this is excellent, thanks OP

[Binglebong]

@WineAcademy

Good analysis and observations.

Sex = why women are oppressed
Gender = how women are oppressed

This is perfect.

[LastSummerHere]

@Tibtom

If a male team member decided to transition and played on the women's team, I guess he'd have to wear that get-up too

Didn't it suddenly become possible for certain 'women' gymnasts to wear shorts rather thn a high cut leotard?

Yes. Female gymnasts have for years asked to wear more than just a leotard but were dismissed. The second males wish to colonise female gymnastics, shorts are permitted.

[Ilikeknitting]

This is so annoying.

I did suggest to my DH that the ladies team should all grow out their fanny hair until it’s down to their knees, let it flap about in the breeze and I bet the rules change pronto!

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

Poster-worthy, if anyone is good at captions.

[Tibtom]

If a male team member decided to transition and played on the women's team, I guess he'd have to wear that get-up too

Didn't it suddenly become possible for certain 'women' gymnasts to wear shorts rather thn a high cut leotard?

[SirSamuelVimes]

Brilliant post.