2021 and we are still talking about this. Sexism.
Recently, a women’s beach handball team was fined after the players wore shorts instead of bikini bottoms.
Norway’s women’s beach handball team was fined 1,500 euros (approximately ₹1.3 lakhs) by the European Handball Federation for declining to play in bikini bottoms during a game.
While male players are allowed to play in tank tops and shorts that are four inches above their knees, The International Handball Federation requires female athletes to wear bikini bottoms ‘with a close fit and cut on an upward angle toward the top of the leg’. The sides of the bikini bottoms must be no more than four inches.
Jessica Rockstroh, a spokesperson for The International Handball Federation, said that she did not know the reason for the rules and they are looking into it internally.
Abid Raja, Norway’s Minister for Culture and Sports, tweeted that it’s completely ridiculous and how their attitude needs to be changed.
Dette er fullstendig latterlig! Fy søren så mye holdningsendringer som må til i gammelgrodd internasjonalt gubbevelde i idretten! Herregud! Det verste er at de bare ikke skjønner likestillingspoenget en gang! Er’e mulig liksom?! https://t.co/40XKY0cEil
— Abid Raja (@abidraja) July 19, 2021
Lene Westgaard-Halle, a Norwegian politician, criticized The International Handball Federation for the forced bikini rule.
Dear @ihf_info. 🤾🏻♀️
— Lene Westgaard-Halle (@LeneWestgaard) July 14, 2021
Can you please stop the forced bikini nonsense at your beach handball games?
It is embarrassing, disgraceful and sexist.
You are ruining both the sport and your own reputation.
Best Regards,
Lene Westgaard-Halle
Member of Parliament
As soon as this news went viral, the handball team received massive support across social media.
This is so crazy.
— Marcus Aurelius (@Marcus_Aure1ius) July 17, 2021
The clothes women wear for athletics generally strike me as crazy. If Bolt could smash world records in long shorts, why is the normal length of women's shorts somewhere between hot pants and panties? It's obviously not for functional reasons. pic.twitter.com/SnzGi5a4Mx
@ihf_info Will you PLEASE tell us why it is necessary for the female beach handball players to wear bikini briefs? Why are the shorts the Norwegian team wore deemed unlawful? And why are the men allowed to wear regular shorts instead of Speedos? #Equality #misogyny
— Johanne Brøsted (@JBrsted) July 20, 2021
Unfortunately it’s the only reason many men watch at all
— Hatch (@hatch_nh) July 20, 2021
This just pisses me off! I will happily pay for their fines. Some wrongs are just so simple. Simply misogyny and sexism. I applaud the Norwegian team!
— Cori Krane (@corique23) July 20, 2021
If those men had any guts they would show solidarity by wearing what the women are forced to wear, until the rules are changed.
— Tuukka Tervo (@tuukkatervo) July 19, 2021
It's commercial… They probably feel that revenues are better if women expose more. They don't want to see empty stands. After all it's men who come to watch them.
— Karan (@karan_math) July 17, 2021
What an unreasonable rule, right?
