General Article German athlete Sarah Voss praised for wearing bodysuit to protest sexualisation of female gymnasts

Topic Selected: Sexualising Society Book Volume: 386

Gymnast says she wants to show younger female athletes how they can present themselves aesthetically in a different form of clothing without feeling uncomfortable.

By Olivia Petter

German gymnast Sarah Voss has been praised for taking a stand against the sexualisation of female athletes by choosing to wear a full bodysuit at the 2021 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Basel, Switzerland.

Typically, female gymnasts are told to wear leotards for competitions that can either be half or long-sleeved.

A full bodysuit like the one Ms Voss chose to wear are seldom worn by women at competitions.

However, Team Germany has since confirmed on Twitter that Ms Voss’s decision to wear one was to protest the way in which female athletes are often sexualised through their outfits.

The team shared in a statement on Twitter via the European Gymnastics account, saying:

“Our girls want to be role models for young gymnasts and show them how they can present themselves differently without feel...

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