Have you guys ever noticed that some boys and girls sports uniforms are very different? I mean, you could probably make about three pairs of girl's volleyball shorts out of one pair of boys, and that's not just because boy's bodies are bigger. In field hockey girls wear skirts and guys wear shorts. Same deal with tennis. These facts are making some sports players and their fans mad.
Sports uniforms are supposed to be comfortable and physically suited for the particular sport. In beach volleyball both guys and girls are sporting tiny togs because it's freakin' hot outside. But only girls are required to wear bum-hugging shorts for indoor play. Some people say this is to give indoor volleyball the same sex appeal as beach volleyball. That's just not cool.
"Why aren't male athletes stuffed into tight-fitting uniforms that display their genitalia as a way to get more women to watch?" Donna Lopiano, director of the US-based Women's Sports Foundation, asks. Good question.
The skirts in field hockey and tennis don't make any sense either. Why do girls have to wear loose, floppy garments when they're racing around on the field or the court so their skivvies show? The guys get to wear shorts - no undies flashing with them. You should have a choice! And you do.
A Federal law called Title IX was created to stop any gender discrimination in all aspects of education, including sports. So if you think something's not cool when it comes to uniforms or anything else to do with gender equality in school, talk to your teacher about Title IX. Discrimination is against the law.
