“Coming from patriarchal forces”, “not made for performance”… The outfits of American athletes criticized – Libération

The jerseys recently unveiled by Nike are considered sexist and unsuitable for sports. The company defends itself by explaining that American athletes will be able to choose from around fifty pieces which are not all tight-fitting bodysuits.

The comma brand was probably proud of its colorful outfits, designed for the American athletes who will participate in the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. Unveiled on Thursday, they have since caused a huge outcry. At issue: the difference in treatment between the men – dressed by Nike in a red tank top and blue shorts – and the women, who inherit an ultra-tight pink bodysuit with low-cut pants.

For many athletes, these outfits are sexist, far too revealing of women’s genitals and impractical. United States 5,000m champion in 2006 and 2010, Lauren Fleshman made an incendiary post on Instagram : “Professional athletes should be able to compete without having to devote brain space to constant pubic hair surveillance or the mental gymnastics of exposing every vulnerable part of their body. Women’s outfits should serve performance, mentally and physically. If this outfit was truly beneficial to physical performance, men would wear it. This is not elite athletic wear. This is a costume from patriarchal forces that are no longer welcome.”

More sober, Colleen Quigley, 8th in the 3,000 meters steeplechase at the Rio Olympics in 2016, expressed concern to Reuters about an outfit “absolutely not made for performance”.

The reactions of Internet users were also numerous and particularly vehement. “Men may worry about their performance while women have to worry about irritation, their genitals and bikini line waxing. It’s really equal opportunities, huh?”, writes one woman on Twitter, for example. Another speaks bluntly of an outfit “designed by a porn addict”.

Americans will have the choice between several outfits, assures Nike

As reported the team, Nike defended itself, explaining that athletes had the choice of competing in briefs or shorts, and that the complete kit of outfits included 50 pieces and 12 different styles. Near CBSJanett Nichol, vice-president of clothing innovation for the American brand, explains that the outfits were designed in a laboratory to maximize performance based on the athletes’ feelings.

High jumper Katie Moon, Olympic champion in Tokyo, also wanted to nuance things: if she also considers the jerseys presented on the models on Thursday “concerning”, the athlete assures that she has the choice in each competition between around twenty outfits to compete and that it is even possible for women to use men’s outfits if they wish.