Beach Volleyball: What Women Wear

[SadieKate]

Don't get me started.

[redrhodie]

I vote for Speedos for men. Fair is fair.

[Zen]

Don't get me started.

Me neither.

[Veronica]

I like what the women wear. They are in incredible shape. They look like real women, unlike the gymnasts. I wish the men's was skimpier. And it's stated in the rules how long their uniforms have to be.

[kelownagirl]

Someone in another forum made a good point about the difficulties faced by women athletes from other countries/cultures (ie. Muslims) where being sexualized is not as acceptable as it in North America.

[Veronica]

The article I read where I got the picture of the regs. said that they do allow different uniforms for religious reasons - both of the players and countries they play in.

V.

[kelownagirl]

The article I read where I got the picture of the regs. said that they do allow different uniforms for religious reasons - both of the players and countries they play in.

V.

Well that's good to hear. Do you have a link? I'd like to pass it along.

[Zen]

I don't see any reason why they can't be the same uniform for both genders.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I don't see any reason why they can't be the same uniform for both genders.

Yeah me either. What's the rationale for having the women's uniform be way skimpier and more revealing than the men's?? What could possibly be the reason??
Maybe this is a dated holdover from earlier times that has not been seriously questioned and reviewed?

[Brandy]

I like what the women wear. They are in incredible shape.

Same here. If you've ever watched a beach volleyball match...ummm...that's pretty standard.

[Grog]

My husband is actually bothered by the women's beach volleyball. We both dislike seeing people's illiac crest and the crease leading to their pubic area on display.

We had the same reaction when the American men won the 4X100m freestyle relay last night: one of the guys had his swimsuit (bib style) down on his hips so low that you could have seen his pubic hair if he had any. I was thinking: "Dude, your grandmother is watching you on TV right now!!" Just a bit too much. Sure they have nice bodies and spectacular abs, but some things I'd rather imagine than see.

But TV ratings dominate the olympics, not critical gender studies. They were showing a lot more of beach volleyball than cycling road race the other day.

[SadieKate]

We had the same reaction when the American men won the 4X100m freestyle relay last night: one of the guys had his swimsuit (bib style) down on his hips so low that you could have seen his pubic hair if he had any. I was thinking: "Dude, your grandmother is watching you on TV right now!!" Just a bit too much. Sure they have nice bodies and spectacular abs, but some things I'd rather imagine than see.

That was Michael Phelps, celebrity extraordinaire. Leaving something to the imagination is so much sexier.

[Brandy]

I wonder if growing up in a beach city has shaped my perspective. Seeing people nearly naked has never seemed odd or offensive to me.