Why is women’s beach volleyball clothing sexy and men’s not?
Beach volleyball is the sport with highest TV viewing figures when it comes to the Olympics. Some people attribute this fact to the party atmosphere and a certain sex appeal of beach volleyball, especially when it comes to the women’s competition. A question that usually comes up is regarding the contrast in uniforms between men and women. At the 2012 London Olympics, a certain Boris Johnson – yes, we are talking about the current British prime minister – commented on the women’s beach volleyball competition:
“As I write these words there are semi-naked women playing beach volleyball in the middle of the Horse Guards Parade immortalised by Canaletto. They are glistening like wet otters and the water is plashing off the brims of the spectators’ sou’westers. The whole thing is magnificent and bonkers.”
Women athletes like to compete in bikinis
Well yes, in beach volleyball women are usually competing in beach wear. And there is quite a huge contrast between men’s and women’s beach volleyball clothes. While women usually compete in bikinis, men play in tank tops and shorts. Why is that?
The answer is not the uniform guidelines from the Federation of International Volleyball (FIVB). Actually, the uniform guidelines for women changed in 2012. Before, women were required to wear bikinis when they competed. Today, they are allowed to wear bikinis, one pieces, long-sleeved options, short-sleeved options, as well as tank tops and shorts. At the 2016 Olympics, a women’s team from Egypt was playing in long pants and sleeves.
Tank top
The FIVB handbook says:
“The FIVB maintains a strong emphasis on the production of beach volleyball uniforms and accessories to help athletes enhance their performance, as well as to ensure an attractive and coherent look at all FIVB events and giving branding opportunities to the promoters. Women athletes must wear bikini bottoms that are […] a close fit and be cut on an upward angle toward the top of the leg. The women’s tops must fit closely the body as well.”
Although there are some guidelines, women athletes are not required to wear bikinis. Thus female players are not exploited for their bodies by official uniform guidelines. They actually want to wear bikinis. Most female players still prefer to wear a bikini because they choose to do so. For them it is just their uniform and it is the most convenient one when it is hot weather. Playing in heat and sand, it is just their preferred option.
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Ha lol, what a great little read. My husband played Volley in NZ as a teenager, represented NZ when he was 18 and then went to Beach Volleyball when he moved to Australia and then won gold in the Masters Games. Then he meets me and it all stopped for him. He loves the game but now he has got our son into in, and they play together.
But Yes, I have always wondered why the women look sexy and the men don’t. Some even wear little tiny pants that creep right up the NU NU !!!
Maybe perhaps it so encourages the men to play? What other sport allows women to play with men dressed like that???
Lol
Interesting…
Hey Rose,
that sounds great that your husband and your son are now playing together. I am sure that now all the skills are transferred from your husband to your son 🙂
Interesting thought. Perhaps there should be a stricter dress code for men’s beach volleyball as well…Lol
Haha, what a post! This is a new thing I that I learned today, never know that such dress guidelines exist, but I think maybe because of convenience, they chose to wear more revealing clothes? Just to prevent more sands trap inside their clothes I think..
Exactly, I totally agree. Main reason is convencience in terms of temperature and sand traps…
Well… Thanks… You left me with the thought of the roles changed… Men in bikini’s playing volleyball… No, I think it’s meant to stay the way it is… Just saying!
Yeah, some things shouldn’t change…