When the German gymnasts wore full-body leotards at Tokyo Olympics 2021 to protest against sexualization!
In a move against the sexualization of women in sports, the German gymnasts wore unitards instead of bikini leotards in the 2021 Olympics. Here’s all you need to know about it.
This Tokyo Olympics, histories were made, and many records were broken. But one moment that was etched in the memories of women around the world was when the German gymnasts defied convention by sporting full-body leotards. This was a move to protest against the sexualization of women in their sport and further prevent sexual abuse. Until now, the women had been performing in the bikini-cut leotards.
(The German gymnastics team: Reuters/Mike Blake)
The team, composed of Sarah Voss, Pauline Schaefer-Betz, Elisabeth Seitz, and Kim Bui, who competed in red and white unitards. A unitard is a combination of leotard and leggings. They had worn unitard during their training sessions, but the decision to wear them for their performances was made shortly before the event.
“We sat together today and said, OK, we want to have a big competition. As you are growing up as a woman, it is quite difficult to get used to your new body in a way. We want to make sure everyone feels comfortable, and we show everyone that they can wear whatever they want and look amazing, feel amazing, whether it is in a long leotard or a short one,” said Sarah Voss. “We women all want to feel good in our skin. In the sport of gymnastics, it gets harder and harder as you grow out of your child’s body. As a little girl, I didn’t see the tight gym outfits as such a big deal. But when puberty began, when my period came, I began feeling increasingly uncomfortable,” she added.
(Elisabeth Seitz: Reuters/Mike Blake)
They might not have won the medal, but the message the team put across got many of us thinking about the treatment of women in sports. In the past years, many women have been sexually abused and harassed, which has led the committee to adopt stricter safety protocols to protect the athletes, yet such incidents have continued.
American gymnast Simone Biles had earlier said that she wanted to participate in the Tokyo Olympics and utilize it as a platform to speak about sexual abuse and give victims a voice. As a part of the US national women gymnastics team, she was assaulted by the team doctor, Larry Nassar, who was recently convicted for the offense. This year, Bile withdrew from the event, citing mental health reasons, and the world welcomed her decision.
(Pauline Schaefer: Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha)
It was about comfort for the German team while highlighting the issue of how the ridiculous uniform rules were preventing them from embracing their real self and bodies. “I think it’s really cool that they have the guts to stand on such a huge arena and show girls from all over the world that you can wear whatever you want. I applaud them for that.” said Norwegian gymnast Julie Erichsen.
While the German gymnasts were applauded for the move, Norway’s handball team was fined 1,500 euros (£1,295) when they wore shorts like their male counterparts instead of bikini bottoms at the European Beach Handball Championships. US pop star Pink offered to pay the team’s fine for wearing “improper uniform,” saying she is proud of the team for protesting against the sexist rules.
Wearing the proper uniform is an essential part of any sport, but not at the expense of the athlete’s comfort. Although full-body outfits are sanctioned by the Olympic Committee, they were previously only worn for religious reasons. With their outfits, the German team made a loud statement on an international platform and, hopefully, a step toward change.
Indian women’s cricket team captain Mithali Raj, recently completed 22 years in the sport. Read this blog for a quick recap of her glorious career. You can check out our other blogs on the website.
Join the Fuzia community today for more such content. Sign up here.