From The Washington Post today, we have a story about how a girls' track team performs better in clothing the young women feel more comfortable in.
This is one of those things that I feel really conflicted on. I want the girls to feel comfortable in their skin so that they can excel in their sports. I believe in the importance of athletic achievement for girls who are into sports, and if these skorts help, okay.
But... shouldn't we be working to change the environment they're in, instead of changing the clothes to suit the environment? The article notes that the girls are sometimes harassed by the boys. Instead of changing the clothing to decrease harassment - which smacks of victim-blaming - we should be educating the boys on how not to be sexist assholes. It sucks that girls are false-starting on purpose so that boys won't point and laugh. The problem here is not the girls, or the clothes. It's the boys. And, beyond that, it's the culture that thinks that the answer is to change the uniforms and not the attitudes.
* Shortest post ever? Well, it's Friday. And why use lots of words when I can get my point across in just a few?
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