A Look from the 1900 Paris Olympics to Now: From Corsets to Competition
Have sports ever been as attractive as they are today? I think so. But the difference is that—slowly, but surely—they’re becoming the barometer of gender equality, revealing not only current conversations about gender inclusion, but also the complexity of making effective changes at an institutional level.
Latest fashion and lifestyle trends point at the rising intersection of everyday life with sports: garments designed for comfort, performance, and a good sweat are visible at all times on the street, regardless of one’s actual commitment to sports. After all, sports are hot—and even more, the idea of challenging, improving, and optimising oneself under today’s ambitious ideals.
But our fitness culture didn’t just sprout out like that. Strength was a man’s thing. Power, ability, and those ripped muscles that come with a degree of enthusiasm-slash-aggression (no critics) have belonged to men since the beginning of our civilisation. The Greeks depicted them in ancient times—sculptures of god-like men, unveiling with pride the prime of their power traced on every inch of their bodies, reminiscent of the era as they competed naked. It was them who not only competed in Olympia, but fought at the Colosseum, on battlefields, and led all aspects of society.
It’s strange to think that women make up 50% of the competitors in this year’s edition of the Olympic Games with a newly introduced 50:50 quota system. Isn’t it? It almost feels like an achievement, and yet, it feels like a long way is still ahead. The disparity of gender regarding sports has changed only recently. Looking back at the 1900 Olympics, the first edition to ever take place in Paris shows that the last century has paved the road towards talking about gender equality, as it marked the first time to allow women to participate.
In 1900, 22 out of the 997 athletes were women (2.2%), and they competed against all opposition—as you can imagine, this seemed to oppose the laws of nature, as women who were anyhow strong—or not weak—or who dared to sweat in public were certainly abominable. But the inclusion of women in sports has come with many restrictions, mainly based on popular definitions as to what was ‘appropriate’.
This definition had women not only competing in physically restraining clothes, such as long skirts and corsets, but excluded them from competing in sports that could put at risk their fragility. In 1900, women could participate only in tennis, golf, sailing, equestrian, and croquet—were the first which were eventually removed from the Olympics. Eventually, as women began to enter the workforce, they continued to gain more spots to compete—capable women wanted to see and cheer for other capable women. They nurtured each other.
Female athletes are fearless
The Olympic Games were founded in 776 B.C. at Olympia in southern Greece, as a form to worship Zeus, king of gods. However, they were banned in A.D 393 by the Romans and revived once again in 1896 by Coubertin as a celebration of virility. Women emerging to compete have proved that gender doesn’t pose limits, but this premise has only been received with backlash until this day. Although they’ve progressively been accepted to participate in more and more sports—being this year the first they’re allowed to compete in all of them—the demeaning tone to speak about them is still archaic, not to say offensive.
Serena Williams among many others has denounced the sexist and racist comments, and although the tone of coverage has changed from “Oh look, women can play sports even though they have ponytails” to William’s husband is her “personal umbrella holder,” as recently said by a sports commentator at the Olympics’ opening ceremony last week, it’s clear that the gender dividend continues to define women as the opposite of men and not as their rightful own.
The appearance of three-times Olympics competitor Nada Hafez, who is 7-months pregnant, has sparked widespread admiration and discussion about the role of women in sports, especially those balancing athletic careers with motherhood, likewise, reassuring that everyone can decide for themselves when it comes to their bodies, a statement that defies the absurdity of gendering.
Speaking of gender inclusion
As I’ve said, we’ve made progress on the topic of gender equality but a lot remains to be done, especially when it comes to gender fluidity. While efforts have been made to include an equal number of women and men in the tournament, this has unfortunately only reinforced the gender binary dividend. The stringent eligibility criteria currently exclude transgender or gender-diverse athletes, sparking debates about fairness, human rights, and the evolving nature of sports regulations, ultimately, highlighting ongoing challenges in the quest for true inclusivity in sports.
