Why do women beach volleyball players wear bikinis while men wear shorts and tank tops?
The discrepancies between men’s and women’s beach volleyball uniforms are hard not to notice, given that women usually compete in bikinis and men play in tank tops and shorts. A question has come up in several conversations I’ve had with colleagues and friends over the past few days: Why is there such a difference in the amount of clothing these athletes wear?
The answer, according to Corinne Calabro, the communications director for USA Volleyball, is pretty simple: Because that’s what the female athletes want to compete in. Women don’t have to wear bikinis — the uniform guidelines from the Federation of International Volleyball, the governing body of all international competition, allow for many different options.
“The athletes are allowed to wear long sleeves, they’re allowed to wear shorts, tank tops,” Calabro said. “But we’ve gotten a lot of athletes on record saying they prefer to wear a two-piece because there are less places for sand to hide. They don’t view it as swim wear or anything like a fashion statement. For them, that’s their uniform.”
Read more at USAtoday.com
David Higgins graduated in 2016 from Air Force Academy.
United States’ Kerri Walsh Jennings awaits a serve against China during a women’s beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)during a women’s beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
United States’ Kerri Walsh Jennings signals against China during a women’s beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
United States’ Kerri Walsh Jennings, left, and April Ross celebrate after beating China during a women’s beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
United States’ April Ross, left, and Kerri Walsh Jennings celebrate a point over China during a women’s beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
United States’ Kerri Walsh Jennings, right, and April Ross celebrate after beating China during a women’s beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
United States’ April Ross, right, and Kerri Walsh Jennings enter the arena before a match against China during a women’s beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
United States’ Kerri Walsh Jennings, right, hits over China’s Wang Fan during a women’s beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
China’s Wang Fan, right, has her shot blocked by United States’ Kerri Walsh Jennings during a women’s beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
United States’ Kerri Walsh Jennings sets up against China during a women’s beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
United States’ Jacob Gibb hits against Austria during a men’s beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
United States’ Casey Patterson, right, and Jacob Gibb work together against Qatar during a men’s beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
United States’ Casey Patterson, right, and Jacob Gibb celebrate after winning a men’s beach volleyball match over Qatar at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
United States’ Jacob Gibb, right, hits over Austria’s Robin Seidl during a men’s beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Austria’s Robin Seidl, center, hits over United States’ Jacob Gibb during a men’s beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Unites States’ Brooke Sweat sets up against Brazil during a women’s beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
United States’ Lauren Fendrick concentrates during a women’s beach volleyball match against Brazil at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Unites States’ Brooke Sweat, left, and Lauren Fendrick, right, celebrate winning a point during a women’s beach volleyball match against Brazil at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Unites States’ Brooke Sweat dives for a ball during a women’s beach volleyball match against Brazil at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Brazil’s Talita Rocha, right, and Larissa Franca celebrate winning a point against United States during a women’s beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)