GIRL POWER IN SPORT

 

 

Hi, everyone! There are a lot of campaigns for women’s rights these days and, today,  I’d like to share with you  the recent dress code protests in sport. Have you heard about them?

Everything started with the Norwegian women’s beach handball team and, then, it continued with the German women’s gymnastics team. They protested about the sexist dress code of the International Federations of their sports.

THE FIGHT OF THE NORWEGIAN WOMEN ATHLETES

 

The Norwegian women’s beach handball team were playing in shorts during the European Championships in Bulgaria. The use of the shorts was forbidden for women because, according to the 2014 International Handball Federation regulations, they have to play in bikini, which should be close fit and have a maximum side width of 10 cm.

So the Norwegian female athletes were fined for “improper clothing”, but they made a petition to replace the bikini with shorts. They won the bronze medal against  Spain in the European Championship in their shorts. Also the Norwegian Federation agreed to pay the fine of 1,500€ to support their players. The other teams followed the example of the Norwegian team. For example,  the Italian women’s beach handball team were wearing shorts when they met the Norwegian team at the European Championship.

“Ci siamo chieste perché loro possono giocare con il pantaloncino e noi invece abbiamo lo slip.”

“We We wondered why they could play in their shorts while we were wearing slips”.”Cyrielle Lauretti Matos, one of the best  players in our beach handball team, told to an interviewer.

 

Some days ago, the International Handball Federation changed the women’s dress code, thanks to the latest protest of the beach handball teams. So women’s uniforms became the same as the man:  a pair of shorts and a vest.

“Ci sentiremo più libere mentalmente senza avere la paura di mostrare qualcosa che noi non vogliamo e magari sentirci anche un po’ più comode e libere di giocare.”

“We’ll feel mentally freer without being worried to show something we don’t want to and also more comfortable and free to play.”

 

A SIMILAR DRESS CODE PROTEST

 

The German gymnasts decided to cover their entire body at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Switzerland and in the Olympic Games of Tokyo 2020. The first who wore the full-body suit was Sarah Voss in one of her performances. Then her example was followed by two of her teammates.

This decision was supported by the German Federation, which advised that female athletes should always feel comfortable in their apparel. But although the full-body suit complies in the International Gymnastic Federation rules, it is rarely seen in women’s competitions, if there aren’t religious reasons. The athletes can wear a suit if it is of elegant design.

FROM SPORT TO EVERYDAY LIFE SEXISM HAS TO STOP

The dress code of the women beach handball team was so sexist. I think the recent protests about the sexist dress code have motivated women athletes in the world and I‘m sure that there’ll be more feminist demonstrations in the future.

Why is our world still so sexist? Why don’t people consider the women for their makings not for their appearances? Change should start from children’s education. I think the first things boys should learn at school are to respect women and their thoughts and not to consider them as objects. Girls should learn the respect of their body and to fight for equal rights in the working field , in sport and in everyday life.

Giorgia, 3sc