Must Women Bare All to Play Ball?
Or run or skate or cheer or tumble?
About the time I started college, women’s track uniforms uniformly shrunk. No longer singlets with running shorts. My first year we basically wore onesies. If we were swimmers, it would have made sense. But we weren’t, and steeple chase wasn’t a women’s event yet so we didn’t even have water hazards. Then we switched over to the equivalent of sports bras and underwear — aka “bunners” or “butt huggers”. Meanwhile the men continued to wear material that covered their midriffs and asses. I shaved, spray tanned, and did daily abs — not with the goal of performing well but with the angst of looking well in my team-issued apparel. I took pride in being able to pull it off. Admittedly, I did opt to workout in just a sports bra and bike shorts. But never did I ever say, yes, I want to go for a run today in panties.
Along with track, the worst offenders of sexualized sportswear for girls and women that come to mind include: Figure skating, Cheerleading, Gymnastics, Volleyball, and Tennis.
At what point post Title IX did it become “we’ll let you play ball if you bare it all”?
Time for a uniform backlash! Along with equal pay — let’s also get equal coverage. Time for girls and women to have the choice of functional uniforms instead of sexualized attire.
