“It Should Cover The Vulva”: Nike Slammed For Unveiling Questionable Women’s Olympic Uniforms
Interview
Nike is currently facing backlash after revealing its questionable designs for women’s track and field uniforms for athletes competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The new sports gear prompted criticism of sexism and concern over practicality, while the company defended its decisions.
Team USA’s track and field uniforms for the 2024 Paris Games were revealed last week, and let’s just say that the possibility of accidental flashing is very real.
- Nike is facing backlash for women's Olympic uniforms, it was criticized for sexism and impracticality.
- Athletes and brands reacted negatively to Nike's 2024 Olympic uniforms, citing concerns over exposure.
- Lauren Fleshman criticized the design for not serving athletes' performance and linked it to patriarchal pressures.
The athletic apparel corporation unveiled the uniforms at a Nike Air event in the French capital city on Thursday (April 11).
Long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall, who participated in the 2020 Olympics, commented under Citius Mag’s Instagram post sharing the first looks of the new Nike kits to be worn by the American track and field team, saying: “Wait, my hoo haa is gonna be out.”
Nike revealed designs for the women’s track and field uniforms for the 2024 Paris Olympics, sparking concerns over both practicality and sexism
Image credits: citiusmag
Women’s athletic apparel brand Oiselle joined the comment section field with adverse reactions, writing: “When you run out of fabric after designing the men’s kit…”
Athletic brand Under Armour chimed in: “We’re just here for the comments,” along with a popcorn emoji.
“There should be a protest ‘no shave’ from the female athletes,” a woman penned.
Someone else quipped: “My labia fighting for which one gets to be in the suit.”
Image credits: Dominique Maitre/WWD
On Friday (April 12), Lauren Fleshman, a retired US world champion runner, took to her Instagram page to share her concerns, writing: “I’m sorry, but show me one WNBA or NWSL team who would enthusiastically support this kit.
“This is for Olympic Track and Field.
“Professional athletes should be able to compete without dedicating brain space to constant pube vigilance or the mental gymnastics of having every vulnerable piece of your body on display.
“Women’s kits should be in service to performance, mentally and physically.
“If this outfit was truly beneficial to physical performance, men would wear it.
“This is not an elite athletic kit for track and field.
“This is a costume born of patriarchal forces that are no longer welcome or needed to get eyes on women’s sports.
Sha’Carri Richardson, world champion sprinter, modeled the short version of the new Team USA track and field uniform
Image credits: Dominique Maitre/WWD
“I’m queer and I’m attracted to female bodies, but I don’t expect or enjoy seeing female athletes or male athletes put in a position to battle self-consciousness at their place of work.
“That is not part of the job description. I lived that life and know that excellence is born of unselfconsciousness, of freedom, and embodiment of action and instinct.
“Stop making it harder for half the population.”
Image credits: ktnago13
The vice president of Nike’s apparel innovation, Janett Nichol, told CBS Sports on Friday that the uniforms “perform at the highest level” and insisted athletes were brought in to test them during the process.
She added: “On the apparel side, why it’s a game-changer for us, is because we’ve now been able to take athlete insights, along with data, and use that algorithm to create something that allows us to get to a level of specificity, fidelity, and accuracy that we’ve never been able to do before.”
The athletes who have already seen the kits have reportedly dubbed the design the “party print,” CBS reported.
A Nike spokesperson told Bored Panda in an email that “in addition to offering athletes a range of styles to choose from, we will also have tailoring options available for Olympic and Paralympic athletes at the games.”
Pole vaulting star Katie Moon also shared her opinion
View this post on Instagram
Accusations of sexism within women’s competitive sports and uniform controversies are nothing new. Back in 2021 already, women athletes were pushing back against restrictive standards for competition clothing.
During the European Beach Handball Championships on July 18, 2021, the Norwegian women’s beach handball team was fined for renouncing the sport’s typical bikini bottoms, instead opting for shorts, CBC reported at the time.
Additionally, on July 25, 2021, the German women’s gymnastics team wore ankle-length unitards (instead of the usual bikini-cut leotards) during qualifiers for the Olympic competition.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will start on Friday, July 26, with the opening ceremony starting at 7:30 pm local time (CET), and end on Sunday, August 11, with the closing ceremony starting at 9:00 pm local time (CET).
The Nike kits continued to spark negative reactions on social media
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Switch 'em around; let the women have the men's bottoms, and the men get to wear the women's. That'd make things fun. (Olympics were originally done in the buff anyway ...)
I don't know how old you are, but I remember calls from women's groups in the 80s to get the new men's lycra kits banned because it was too much dong.
Load More Replies...
All athletics, not just the Olympics, need to stop this. Especially tennis. Why do the female athletes have to be publicly embarrassed by skimpy clothing with possible malfunctions, but the male athletes don't?
And you just know it was some man who designed these.
Load More Replies...
I really thought we had moved on from this, why are these sorts of barely-there knickers being designed for women athletes?
Not sure Olympics has the same rule as this: In 2019, Anchorage, Alaska, high school student Breckynn Willis was disqualified by some newbie authority because her school-issued, unmodified swimsuit rode up her backside and exposed too much cheek. Of course, the ruling was struck because the morality police authority failed to notify the coach ahead of the meet. Further, Willis hadn't done it on purpose. The suit just rode up her butt when she swam. Ridiculous that they choose swimsuits for girls that have a potential to be immodest then call foul because some girls are shaped different than the rest. The girls are the victims, the manufacturers and the schools themselves are the perpetrators.
Load More Replies...
Anybody else remember when the Norwegian women's volleyball team was fined over their uniforms? Yeah - they wore shorts instead of bikini bottom, and got fined. It's 2024 - don't tell me it's not possible to have unisex uniforms. The only difference that needs to happen is a little more give in the tops for those with breasts and a little more give in the bottoms for those with testicles.
The thing is that engineers for these teams work constantly to design clothing that offers as little wind resistance as possible, amongst other performance enhancements. Any sort of looseness can make a difference in a sport where the difference between winning and losing is a hundredth of a second. Let these women wear what they choose to.
Load More Replies...
This is disgusting. The women should revolt by not shaving anything. If Nike wants to see their bush, so be it. And if they claim it's better for performance, the men should have to wear them too. Absolutely infuriating!
... and on top of that, if any of the women does so, they'll be "disgusted". By pubic hair. I mean ... really? What's bad about them anyway? I never got my head around that. Ok, preferences and stuff, everybody shall shave who wants, and who wants to let it grow should do the very same - wear what they want, shave what they want. If somebody would end up with a panty knitted from actual and present pubic hair - why not? But, for most of those who are supposed to wear these, this isn't really an option worth considering ... there should be a choice. Wear what you want, damned. And, as for wind resistence - lamest excuse possible. Any knowledge in fluid dynamics makes you see how much of a bogus claim that is, without even calculating a single line of mathery.
Load More Replies...
The woman who claimed they have a choice of wearing different styles in their events is missing the point.. Why are the men not choosing the high-cut woman's style then? Why are the men's styles not offered the same selection? I gotta admit I'd pay to see the guys in that, struggling to hold everything in while doing the high jump! I'd be LMAO. But no, they don't offer that style for the MEN.
I dunno, can YOU think of any reason why a guy might not choose a style traditionally thought of as women's? And how do you know they DONT have it available?
Load More Replies...
I support the right for women to wear whatever feels comfortable to them... If what Ms Moon says is true- that female athletes have a choice of what to wear- I support their choices.
"womens sportswear must be ultra-revealing and sexualised, but we're still going to complain that muscular woman aren't attractive because that's not lady like and it makes me feel emasculated!!!" - Some incel dumbass who designed these, probably.
Reading the whole article, the women have a choice of about 10 different outfits to wear depending on what they find comfortable. Choice is the most important thing.
I think people are choosing to overlook that so they can be angry/offended. Katie Moon specifically said, "We DO have the men’s option available to us if we want it. When you attack the buns and crop top saying something along the lines of it’s “sexist” (which if that was our only choice, it would be), even if it’s with the best of intentions, you’re ultimately attacking our decision as women to wear it." Know the whole story before you post your outrage.
Load More Replies... As of this comment, exactly two other commenters have read the whole article, including the post that says women have a choice to wear these next-to-nothing outfits, and that critics of them are therefore bashing the womens' choice.
I think all the women should forgo any waxing or shaving, and go all natural.
When I was much younger and skinnier (before puberty), I used to go to gymnastics and we were allowed to wear matching lycra shorts.
The whole post is obsolete. Women can choose from a wide variety, including the men style bottoms. This gets clear only at the end of the article. Pure clickbait.
Women's Olympic uniforms have been TMI for a long time. I'm embarrassed to watch sometimes.
I am not into sports but when I see the clothes of women I wonder why they all always wear cloth-wear that resemble underwear. Can't they wear the same or similar to men's? This happens for years. It was time to point it out.
So, and ... how come that the actual athletes, it seems, aren't involved in designing these? You know ... thing is ... it's not that unpleasant to look at, but ... combine it with the worried face of somebody who is FORCED to wear more revealing stuff than they want, and suddenly, there's nothing beautiful about it anymore. Now, combine a calm face, the face that rests on not having to worry about seeing your own pubic hair on page one of a filthy, phony propaganda paper, with some sports panties that cover a bit more, maybe even have some legs on them. Doesn't look better? Then, have your face interpretation skills examined. And also, let them wear what they want, but make sure to have a choice that doesn't leave anybody with something they severely are uncomfortable with. I'm fine with everyone wearing this, as long as they decide to without any pressure. But, there is. Also - ever seen a man in any track and field competition wearing legless panties? Didn't think so...
I’ve never seen women irl doing exercise in skimpy knickers by choice. It’s leggings or shorts. These outfits are designed for posing, for sexual appeal and the visual tension of potential malfunction is a feature not a big. Maybe that one athlete who commented is chill with exhibitionism but that doesn’t mean there’s no pressure from coaches and sponsors to “choose” the saucy uniform. We’re not talking about a balanced situation.
Just go watch to a marathon. Or heck, Google "female marathon runner" and click "images"
Load More Replies...
Just goes to show that these companies will only do something to make a profit, not to raise social awareness or promote equality. Unless of course virtue signally, xyz-washing or preaching about equality 'makes' them a profit...
Hmmm, it's as if you're suggesting that companies are in business to make money. That does seem outrageous!
Load More Replies...
Switch 'em around; let the women have the men's bottoms, and the men get to wear the women's. That'd make things fun. (Olympics were originally done in the buff anyway ...)
I don't know how old you are, but I remember calls from women's groups in the 80s to get the new men's lycra kits banned because it was too much dong.
Load More Replies... All athletics, not just the Olympics, need to stop this. Especially tennis. Why do the female athletes have to be publicly embarrassed by skimpy clothing with possible malfunctions, but the male athletes don't?
And you just know it was some man who designed these.
Load More Replies... I really thought we had moved on from this, why are these sorts of barely-there knickers being designed for women athletes?
Not sure Olympics has the same rule as this: In 2019, Anchorage, Alaska, high school student Breckynn Willis was disqualified by some newbie authority because her school-issued, unmodified swimsuit rode up her backside and exposed too much cheek. Of course, the ruling was struck because the morality police authority failed to notify the coach ahead of the meet. Further, Willis hadn't done it on purpose. The suit just rode up her butt when she swam. Ridiculous that they choose swimsuits for girls that have a potential to be immodest then call foul because some girls are shaped different than the rest. The girls are the victims, the manufacturers and the schools themselves are the perpetrators.
Load More Replies... Anybody else remember when the Norwegian women's volleyball team was fined over their uniforms? Yeah - they wore shorts instead of bikini bottom, and got fined. It's 2024 - don't tell me it's not possible to have unisex uniforms. The only difference that needs to happen is a little more give in the tops for those with breasts and a little more give in the bottoms for those with testicles.
The thing is that engineers for these teams work constantly to design clothing that offers as little wind resistance as possible, amongst other performance enhancements. Any sort of looseness can make a difference in a sport where the difference between winning and losing is a hundredth of a second. Let these women wear what they choose to.
Load More Replies... This is disgusting. The women should revolt by not shaving anything. If Nike wants to see their bush, so be it. And if they claim it's better for performance, the men should have to wear them too. Absolutely infuriating!
... and on top of that, if any of the women does so, they'll be "disgusted". By pubic hair. I mean ... really? What's bad about them anyway? I never got my head around that. Ok, preferences and stuff, everybody shall shave who wants, and who wants to let it grow should do the very same - wear what they want, shave what they want. If somebody would end up with a panty knitted from actual and present pubic hair - why not? But, for most of those who are supposed to wear these, this isn't really an option worth considering ... there should be a choice. Wear what you want, damned. And, as for wind resistence - lamest excuse possible. Any knowledge in fluid dynamics makes you see how much of a bogus claim that is, without even calculating a single line of mathery.
Load More Replies... The woman who claimed they have a choice of wearing different styles in their events is missing the point.. Why are the men not choosing the high-cut woman's style then? Why are the men's styles not offered the same selection? I gotta admit I'd pay to see the guys in that, struggling to hold everything in while doing the high jump! I'd be LMAO. But no, they don't offer that style for the MEN.
I dunno, can YOU think of any reason why a guy might not choose a style traditionally thought of as women's? And how do you know they DONT have it available?
Load More Replies... I support the right for women to wear whatever feels comfortable to them... If what Ms Moon says is true- that female athletes have a choice of what to wear- I support their choices.
"womens sportswear must be ultra-revealing and sexualised, but we're still going to complain that muscular woman aren't attractive because that's not lady like and it makes me feel emasculated!!!" - Some incel dumbass who designed these, probably.
Reading the whole article, the women have a choice of about 10 different outfits to wear depending on what they find comfortable. Choice is the most important thing.
I think people are choosing to overlook that so they can be angry/offended. Katie Moon specifically said, "We DO have the men’s option available to us if we want it. When you attack the buns and crop top saying something along the lines of it’s “sexist” (which if that was our only choice, it would be), even if it’s with the best of intentions, you’re ultimately attacking our decision as women to wear it." Know the whole story before you post your outrage.
Load More Replies... As of this comment, exactly two other commenters have read the whole article, including the post that says women have a choice to wear these next-to-nothing outfits, and that critics of them are therefore bashing the womens' choice.
I think all the women should forgo any waxing or shaving, and go all natural.
When I was much younger and skinnier (before puberty), I used to go to gymnastics and we were allowed to wear matching lycra shorts.
The whole post is obsolete. Women can choose from a wide variety, including the men style bottoms. This gets clear only at the end of the article. Pure clickbait.
Women's Olympic uniforms have been TMI for a long time. I'm embarrassed to watch sometimes.
I am not into sports but when I see the clothes of women I wonder why they all always wear cloth-wear that resemble underwear. Can't they wear the same or similar to men's? This happens for years. It was time to point it out.
So, and ... how come that the actual athletes, it seems, aren't involved in designing these? You know ... thing is ... it's not that unpleasant to look at, but ... combine it with the worried face of somebody who is FORCED to wear more revealing stuff than they want, and suddenly, there's nothing beautiful about it anymore. Now, combine a calm face, the face that rests on not having to worry about seeing your own pubic hair on page one of a filthy, phony propaganda paper, with some sports panties that cover a bit more, maybe even have some legs on them. Doesn't look better? Then, have your face interpretation skills examined. And also, let them wear what they want, but make sure to have a choice that doesn't leave anybody with something they severely are uncomfortable with. I'm fine with everyone wearing this, as long as they decide to without any pressure. But, there is. Also - ever seen a man in any track and field competition wearing legless panties? Didn't think so...
I’ve never seen women irl doing exercise in skimpy knickers by choice. It’s leggings or shorts. These outfits are designed for posing, for sexual appeal and the visual tension of potential malfunction is a feature not a big. Maybe that one athlete who commented is chill with exhibitionism but that doesn’t mean there’s no pressure from coaches and sponsors to “choose” the saucy uniform. We’re not talking about a balanced situation.
Just go watch to a marathon. Or heck, Google "female marathon runner" and click "images"
Load More Replies... Just goes to show that these companies will only do something to make a profit, not to raise social awareness or promote equality. Unless of course virtue signally, xyz-washing or preaching about equality 'makes' them a profit...
Hmmm, it's as if you're suggesting that companies are in business to make money. That does seem outrageous!
Load More Replies... 
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