Nike Slammed For Skimpy, Uncomfortable Olympics Uniform: "My Hoo Haa Is Gonna Be Out"

Citius Mag on X/Twitter uploaded a side-by-side comparison of the two Nike uniforms on the platform. The women's uniform doesn't cover everything, raising concerns about how female athletes will feel pressured to shave or wax. "Men can worry about their athletic performance while women have to worry about chaffing, their genitals not falling out and getting a bikini wax," wrote a commenter in response. "Definitely equal opportunities huh?"

"This is a joke, right?" asked user @MaureenWRC. "Running in that outfit will gather the material in the centre exposing everything. Why can’t the women wear the same thing as the men?"

Lauren Fleshman, the former U.S. National Champion runner, took to Instagram to slam Nike's uniforms. The athlete said what many of us are thinking out loud – that these uniforms are putting women's bodies on full display for the public. "I’m sorry, but show me one WNBA or NWSL team who would enthusiastically support this kit," she said. "This is for Olympic Track and Field. Professional athletes should be able to compete without dedicating brain space to constant pube vigilance or the mental gymnastics of having every vulnerable piece of your body on display."

Many women feel that these companies are focused more on "aesthetics" that allow men to sexualize women in sports, rather than creating kits that would benefit them in their competitions. "Women’s kits should be in service to performance, mentally and physically. If this outfit was truly beneficial to physical performance, men would wear it. This is not an elite athletic kit for track and field. This is a costume born of patriarchal forces that are no longer welcome or needed to get eyes on women’s sports," Fleshman added.

U.S. long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall commented on Instagram as well, concerned that her vagina will show. “Wait my hoo haa is gonna be out," she said.

This is not the first time women have tried to speak out about getting sexualized in sports. Years ago, Germany's gymnasts showed off their full body unitards to protest the "sexualization" of the sport. The women did this to set an example "to all gymnasts who may feel uncomfortable or even sexualized in normal suits."

In response to the backlash, Nike said their designs were produced in partnership with the athletes' needs. “Working directly with athletes throughout every stage of the design process, Nike designed garments to ensure fit across a range of body types and style preferences and infused real-time feedback throughout the entire product development cycle,” said John Hoke, Nike Chief Innovation Officer. In addition, a spokesperson for USA Track and Field (USATF) informed CNN that the unveiled uniforms are just two of the many options “including 50 unique pieces."

Pole vaulter Katie Moon said the photos of the uniforms were "concerning" and "warranted the response it received" but did add that there are other uniforms that athletes can choose from. "I absolutely love people defending women," Moon explained on Instagram, "but we have at least 20 different combinations of a uniform to compete in with all the tops and bottoms available to us. We DO have the men’s option available to us if we want it."

Moon also noted that if you're attacking the articles of clothing, you're criticizing the athlete – because they chose it. "When you attack the buns and crop top saying something along the lines of it’s 'sexist' (which if that was our only choice, it would be), even if it’s with the best of intentions, you’re ultimately attacking our decision as women to wear it."

“If you honestly think that on the most important days of our careers we’re choosing what we wear to appease the men watching over what we’re most comfortable and confident in, to execute to the best of our abilities, that’s pretty offensive,” she added.

While I do agree that the uniform that Nike released looks extremely uncomfortable and inappropriate, I'm glad that women have a choice in what to wear for their competitions.

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