Bikinis, boxing skirts and female Olympians

Liz Clarke spoke to Warren on “Reporter’s Notebook” today about the flap over female athletes’ attire at the London Olympics. From a failed effort to force women boxers into skirts to newly relaxed rules giving beach volleyball players the option of NOT wearing bikinis, women’s wardrobes have been a big focus going into the 2012 games. Clarke also discussed the history of athletic dress codes for women, and what it all says about our cultural fixations when it comes to female athletes.

As for whether the beach volleyball bikinis are demeaning, Clarke said, “I’m sure that depends on your perspective, but … the women who compete, they sort of roll their eyes when asked about it. They would really like the conversation to be more about their athleticism, their heart, their effort and the work that goes into it.” Though, she noted, they do have “rock solid” bodies.