Stars have always been trendy: if you started doing a research about stars appearing in collections as prints, patterns, embellishments and decorative motifs on clothes and accessories you would end up writing a lengthy tome.
Stars have always been in fashion as they represent a joyful motif, a passion for the universe, the cosmo and astronomy, and they can be used to interpret a moment of heightened glamour, if you think about the star studded ensembles by Adrian donned by Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr and Lana Turner as Susan Gallagher, Sandra Kolter and Sheila Reganas, three aspiring showgirls in Ziegfeld Girls (1941), directed by Robert Z. Leonard.
Stars reappeared also on the leotards of the USA women's gymnastics team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (currently on).
GK Elite, the official apparel sponsor for the U.S. gymnastics teams since 2000, created different leotards for the team's Simone Biles (who exited women's team final today over mental health concern), Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee, Grace McCallum, Jade Carey and MyKayla Skinner.
Two of the leotards featured stars motifs, the lavender one for the Women's Podium Training featured more subtle motifs of stars, and the Swarovski-embellished leoard in classic US patriotic colours - red, white, and blue - for the Women's Qualifications.
A sleeveless version of the leotard is available on the site of the brand: the "Scattered Stars" leotard has got a sustainable twist about it since it is made entirely out of recycled fabric.
Yet this year the focus is not on stars embellishing leotards at the Olympic Games, but on women's uniforms and sexism in sports.
Germany's Women's Gymnastics Team (Sarah Voss, Pauline Schaefer, Elisabeth Seitz and Kim Bui) stood proud at the Olympic Games in their stylish angle-length white, scarlet red and blue bodysuits. The team already opted for the full-body style that makes them look like superheroines for the European Gymnastics Championship in April.
Their protest and decision to wear full-length 3/4 sleeve unitards was a way to highlight sexism in sports and sexualization in gymnastics in particular.
The psychological and physical abuse some artistic and rhythmic gymnasts from different countries went through is well-known, but quite often athletes remained silent about them.
In more recent years things started to change: in 2018, the US gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, convicted of abusing at least 265 gymnasts over several decades, was sentenced to 175 years in prison (this is actually the first edition of the Olympic Games edition since Nassar was condemned...). This year seventeen gymnasts started a legal case against British Gymnastics over alleged physical and psychological abuse.
Full-length bodysuits in this sport are not against official rules, but they aren't seen that often: by wearing them the Germany team highlighted the importance of feeling comfortable in sports and creating an equal and safe environment without feeling objectified.
And while they were praised for setting an example, other women have been penalised for similar uniform-related reasons: Norway's Women's Beach Handball Team opted to wear shorts instead of the required bikini bottoms during a game at the European Beach Handball Championships and they alerted the federation they were going to do so.
Yet, on 20th July the European Handball Federation fined each player 150 euros (the total fine amounted to €1,500) for "improper clothing". According to uniform regulations in the International Handball Federation regulations of the game, women must wear close fit bikini bottoms with a side width of 3.9 inches maximum and a sports bra when playing official games. Men can instead wear shorts that are "not too baggy" and 10 centimeters above the kneecap and a tank top.
The Norwegian Handball Federation stated that it was prepared to cover the fines, but American pop singer Pink offered to pay what she called the "sexist" fine (impossible to disagree with her). In the meantime, the team will continue their fight through the Olympics and they are probably grateful they were fined as this decision by the International Handball Federation attracted the attention towards this case and helped the team spreading the message about this shockingly nonsensical rule, making us all realise the time has come to change it.
Yet, while they were fined for wearing slightly longer shorts rather than bikini bottoms, British Paralympian Olivia Breen, who will represent national team in the Tokyo Paralympic Games, experienced the opposite. Last week she was told indeed that her Adidas running briefs were "too short and inappropriate" by a sporting official at the English Championships. The same official also invited her to consider buying a pair of shorts. Breen hopes that she can continue wearing the briefs - that are actually less revealing than the bikini bottoms used in beach handball - when competing at the Tokyo Paralympics starting on August 24.
These episodes prompt you to ask yourself a lot of questions: would male athletes for example be subjected to such careful and cruel scrutiny? Would they be told their shorts are too short or too long? Probably not. Sexualizing female athletes' bodies by imposing on them certain rules on sport uniforms contributes to kill body confidence, body positivity and self-esteem in our sports icons, but also in ordinary women (what if a young girl wants to start playing a sport such as beach handball, but she doesn't feel confident enough in bikini bottoms? should she just give up without even trying?) and makes you sadly realise that in our century and times women are still judged by their bodies, their shapes and attributes rather than their skills, talents, strength and intelligence.
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