Nike's 'hoo haa' Olympic uniforms reveal everything, including sexism in sport

Paris has long been known for its avant garde fashion. Yet the couture scene would be hard-pressed to produce anything as confounding and controversial as the Team USA track and field kits that were unveiled in the City of Lights last week.

There was nothing to see when it came to Team USA’s men’s track uniforms: standard shorts and a tank top. But when it came to their female counterparts, there was everything to see, especially around the nether regions.

As reigning 800m Olympic champion and Nike athlete Athing Mu modelled the US team’s briefs (fellow participant Sha’Carri Richardson opted for shorts) the scene drummed up memories of the Rio Games: the new USA uniforms would be ideal for a Brazilian beach. Citius Magazine further highlighted the design flaw when it tweeted an image of a mannequin showcasing the uniform and suffering from some major camel toe.

The uniforms are a step backwards on multiple levels. Fashion-wise, they are a hybrid of the leotards worn by 1980s aerobic addicts and the costumes for Baywatch in the 1990s. Except the workout leotards were worn with tights and Baywatch was toned-down porn.

When it comes to the evolution of women’s sports, once again it’s one step forward, two steps back. A commenter on X said it best: “Men can worry about their athletic performance while women have to worry about chaffing, their genitals not falling out and getting a bikini wax. Definitely equal opportunities huh”

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/apr/15/team-usa-olympic-uniforms-briefs-paris-2024

They've already had serious problems with their MLB uniforms being see-through. Now they get comments like that from long jumperTara Davis-Woodhall memorably noting that “my hoo haa is gonna be out.” Back to the drawing board, and let WOMEN do it!