Sports should be about celebrating people’s athletic prowess, marveling at their strength and dexterity, and breaking the boundaries of what we thought the human body could achieve. Putting athletes in suggestive outfits so that the audience can ogle them shamelessly is not something that sports should be about. It appears that the Germans have finally had enough.
Germany’s gymnasts protested the sexualization of their sport by wearing full-body suits (also known as unitards) in the women’s qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on Sunday. Gymnasts usually wear leotards that don’t cover their legs. For comfort and to help younger athletes feel safer in the sport, the German team wants to take a stand against the sexualization of women. They believe that everyone should be able to wear whatever makes them feel most at ease.
The debates over sports uniforms and clothing can make you feel like you’re on a strange version of Planet Earth. The Norwegian women’s beach handball team was recently fined for wearing shorts instead of bikini bottoms, according to Bored Panda. Meanwhile, there is a raging debate about whether or not afro swimming caps should be permitted in professional competitions.
Germany’s female gymnasts wore full-body suits instead of leotards at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics qualifying round on Sunday
Image credits: Pauline Schaefer
The gymnasts took a stand against the sexualization of their sport and young women
Image credits: Pauline Schaefer
Their goal is to help female gymnasts feel comfortable and safe no matter what they choose to wear
Image credits: Elisabeth Seitz
Image credits: Sarah Voss
Image credits: Pauline Schaefer
Image credits: Elisabeth Seitz
Image credits: Pauline Schaefer
Image credits: Kim Bui
Image credits: Deutscher Turner-Bund
Image credits: Elisabeth Seitz
Here is what the German team’s uniforms were like in 2016, in Rio
Image credits: Pauline Schaefer
In the world of gymnastics, sexual abuse and objectification of young women and girls is a reality. Larry Nassar, a former USA Gymnastics national team doctor, was sentenced to 176 years in prison for sexually abusing hundreds of gymnasts, according to the Associated Press.
In gymnastics competitions, the difference between men’s and women’s uniforms is striking. Traditionally, women wear leotards, whereas men wear clothing that covers more of their bodies.
This isn’t the first time that German gymnasts have defied conventions and taken a stand against the sport’s sexualization of women. In April, they competed in the European Gymnastics Championships in unitards.
The German team was the only one opting for unitards on Sunday. All the other teams wore leotards. Here’s the Brazil 2020 team
Image credits: Sarah Voss
USA 2020
Image credits: NBCOlympics/
Image credits: NBCOlympics/
Image credits: NBCOlympics/
Image credits: Sunisa Lee
Japan 2020
Image credits: Aiko Sugihara
Italy 2020
Image credits: Lara Mori
Controversy over clothing in sports is nothing new. Very recently, the Norwegian beach handball team got fined for choosing to wear shorts instead of bikini bottoms
Image credits: Norges Håndballforbund
Image credits: Norway beach handball women
