If you are going to get in on this misogynist thing, at least PICK A LANE!
Both of these stories just happened this week.
An extremely talented British Paralympian, Olivia Breen, was told by an official at the English Championships that her shorts were “too short and inappropriate.” The “offensive” shorts are shown in the main picture and the tweet below:
For the record, those are Adidas official 2021 briefs, the kind that athletes are supposed to wear when competing. Breen, who has cerebral palsy, won a world championship gold medal in 2017. She said she has worn that outfit for nine years without complaint. She said the complaint made her feel self-conscious and left her speechless.
Meanwhile...
The European Handball Federation just handed out a €1,500 fine due to the Norwegian female team deciding to wear shorts instead of bikini bottoms at the European Beach Handball Championships:
Each team member was fined for “improper clothing.” In the rules, women must wear bikini bottoms “with a close fit and cut on an upward angle.”
And they must be revealing. The rules say the bottoms are not to cover “more than 10cm on any sides.”
By the way, what do the men wear?
Hmmmmmm ...
The runner wants to be comfortable while jumping, which is hard to do in shorts. On the other hand, the disparity in outfits with the Norwegian team and the harsh penalty on the women makes it clear that their outfits aren’t for them as much as for the male viewers.
Women athletes already get a raw deal when getting paid compared to their male counterparts, the very least these organizations could do is not hassle them about the sports attire they want to wear. Let’s try treating women athletes as … you know, athletes. It really is the least they could do.
Wednesday, Jul 21, 2021 · 9:46:47 PM +00:00 · SemDem
An earlier version of the story had a quote from Norwegian Handball Federation President Kåre Geir Lio that was removed. Although the quote was accurate, the context appeared to suggest the president supported the fine. Instead, the president has backed the women making the stand. The European Handball Association's Disciplinary Commission, however, still stands by their decision to fine the team despite the public outcry.