Posted on 08/15/2016 6:54:47 AM PDT by Salvation
One of the less edifying aspects of the Summer Olympics in Rio is the attire of the women’s beach volleyball players from Western countries. Most of the women wear a tiny bikini with the bottom being especially tiny. (I do not show a picture here because I deem it immodest to do so. Instead, I show a picture of some of the men, whose attire I mention below.)
Frankly, playing volleyball in a tiny bikini seems quite unnecessary. I would argue that it detracts from the sport because it distracts from the sport. The attention doesn’t seem to be drawn to the ball, shall we say. I would further argue that the attire encourages the focus not even on the women, but on certain aspects of the women’s bodies.
I can understand that swimmers (male and female) wear tight and sometimes abbreviated swimsuits to lessen drag in the water. Gymnasts, too, often wear brief and/or tight clothing to improve their performance and maximize the mobility of their limbs. The clothing is thus at least somewhat performance related.
But I can see no performance enhancement brought about by the wearing of tiny bikinis. Some will point out that the bikini top in question acts as a sports bra. Fine, but men wear supportive attire, too; but they do so under their shorts, not out in the open.
The Egyptian women’s beach volleyball player shown in the above photo illustrates that it is possible to compete quite well without wearing a bikini. One could argue that having short sleeves and shorter leg coverings might be cooler for the players. The impact on performance of wearing the hijab is debatable, but it is worn tucked in and did not seem to bother the women who wore it. These women played and competed well in a sport that is relatively new to their country and region.
Men’s beach volleyball attire also illustrates that near nudity is not required to play the sport well. The men do not play wearing tiny swimwear. They wear ample shorts along with t-shirts or tank tops.
I realize that each time the question of modesty has come up on this blog there are some readers who want to dismiss such discussions and emphasize the right of people to dress as they please. They believe that any sexual temptation aroused is almost wholly the fault of the viewer, not the one wearing the attire.
Modesty should avoid excessively burdening people. It seeks a middle ground wherein the one who dresses and the other who sees share responsibility. The one wearing the attire should not be burdened with difficult requirements, nor should the viewer be burdened by facing undue temptation. Mutual charity and concern are the goals.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of modesty as protecting the mystery, chastity, and dignity of the human person.
Modesty protects the mystery of persons and their love. … Modesty protects the intimate center of the person. It means refusing to unveil what should remain hidden. It is ordered to chastity to whose sensitivity it bears witness. … Modesty is decency. It inspires one’s choice of clothing. It keeps silence or reserve where there is evident risk of unhealthy curiosity. It is discreet (CCC 2521-2522).
As always, comments are appreciated, but I have found in the past that discussions about modesty are often difficult to have in a way that is helpful or charitable. Reasonable people may differ on the details of modesty. Modesty does involve a range of options, influenced by circumstances and the sensibilities of cultures. I have articulated here that I see no need for tiny bikinis in this sport and that I think more modest attire is important. If you disagree, please explain the relationship you see of the brief bikini to the sport, considering that men in general and women from other cultures who compete do not see the need to wear so little. If you agree, please remember in your comments that the imputation of motives to individuals is a sketchy and usually uncharitable thing to do. Everyone, please use care when commenting.
Actually, they are now wearing suits that look like biking shorts and end just above the knee. They normally wear something over the suit until they get ready to get in the water, and they put it back on after they dry off. When we go into the water, most of us were something that we wouldn't consider wearing on dry land, and really, the water itself has a bit of a covering effect.
You're really comparing apples to oranges with the two sports. The suit can have a measurable impact on races that are frequently decided by one or two hundredths of a second. If there was a similarly measurable impact on beach volleyball, the guys would all be in Speedos. It's not a performance issue, it's a fashion statement.
Well then, dunno. Maybe skimpy outfits on either male or female players brings out crowds to watch?
You don’t play competitive beach volleyball in a burqa. If some religion or nation forces their women to wear 7th century attire, let the world see the glaring contrast between a free nation, where the athletes decide what works best, and a nation/religion that does not embrace Liberty, and prefers bondage.
Here’s Why the USA Women’s Volleyball Team Refuses to Stop Wearing Bikinis
http://ijr.com/2016/08/670528-heres-why-the-usa-womens-volleyball-team-refuses-to-stop-wearing-bikinis/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=owned&utm_campaign=ods&utm_term=ijamerica&utm_content=nation
One can see women as sexual objects no matter what they wear. Lust is lust. Is the volleyball attire any more immodest than what the swimmers and gymnasts wear? Not if you haven’t crucified the flesh. How many perverts tuned in to see gymnasts in tight outfits contorting their bodies? Its NOT the attire, its the people watching with the problem.
If one is offended while looking lustfully at female athletes, it would seem some time in the Word, and on their knees might be needed. I would think preaching the Word, changing people’s hearts, might be a better use of one’s time rather than discussing proper beach attire and forcing people to change their clothes because some religious tyrant demands it.
The real problem with the notion of modesty is that its never objective. Many Christians can see scantily clad women and just appreciate beauty. On the other hand, some religious zealot may be enraged by the site of an exposed ankle. Thankfully, we have LIBERTY in Christ, and still live in a nation clinging to what little freedom remains. We can be individually led by the Spirit, who will do far more than any religion in directing Believers to walk in Love and the Wisdom of God. We don’t need a Roman version of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.
I suspect there are a lot of USOC pervs pulling the strings, you’re welcome for the pun. I also suspect that many men watch the beach volleyball because of the bikinis. As another example, look at the garments worn by the American women gymnasts, and their average age is well below 18; and then the women divers.
The musims can wear what they want. I live in one of the main areas of the world, where beach volleyball originated and became popular.
It is a beach, and people here dress in certain styles for the beach. Muslims do different.
The last thing I need, is a Catholic padre telling us, how we need to change in the direction of muslims.
Same would apply if anybody, any religion, told us what we should be doing. Herd your own flock, but leave me and mine alone in America.
The game is doubles volleyball.
Why the bathing suits and all the sand was necessary I'll never know.
Thank God for that.
No, volleyball itself started on the beach in Hawaii, and it continued for many decades before ever showing up in Brazil. Wiki’s history of the sport doesn’t even mention Brazil. Now, volleyball with feet is a Brazilian thing indeed . . .
“Instead he had to drag in his admiration of the covered from head to toe Egyptian players”
I am 65, and it still angers me to read a lie like that. I had hoped to become some zenlike, imperturbable master of philosophy by this time in my life, but alas, liars still disgust me to the point of anger.
I come to this site because leftards are not allowed, and that reduces the number of lies posted. Unfortunately, it does not reduce them to zero.
For those who may not have read the OP, or were unable to understand it, the Msgr. did not express admiration of Islam, the Egyptian team, or what they wear.
The people saying he did are disgusting liars who are following Alinsky’s tactics. They know they cannot win a debate on modesty on the merits, so they are converting it to a debate on admiring muzzies.
What the Msgr. said was that the costumes of the Egyptian women demonstrate that beach volleyball costumes could be significantly more modest without detracting from performance.
Just that. No admiration of muzzies or their costumes. No call for everyone to be so extreme. Just an observation that there is room for improvement.
It’s funny how often people promoting sexual immorality are seen lying in support of their position.
If I had an opinion that I could not support without lying, I’d change it, because an opinion that can’t be supported without lying is incorrect.
****Turn the channel or turn it off.****
UTTER BULLCRAP!@
If I want to enjoy a family event with my children, I do not want the athletes to be almost naked. This is a public tournament where countries compete against each other in a civilized manner. Let the manner of dress be modest or don’t publicize it.
My wife played on the world tour for a bit, and the article linked above interviewing Misty and Kerry about it has it right in my view. A bikini is for many people the most comfortable thing to wear on the beach, and that’s where they’ve been playing this sport for their entire lives.
They aren’t wearing them because they’re exhibitionists or immodest, Kerry Walsh to take a particular example with which I’m familiar, is not only the best women’s beach volleyball player of all time, but also an incredible family woman, three kids and a husband, and zero blemishes on her public record as an upstanding woman of moral character.
Freedom in the Western sense means that women can wear what they want for their own comfort and convenience without their choices being determined by the lowest impulses of men versus Islam where if a woman shows her ankles, men are assumed to not be able to prevent themselves from raping her.
Thanks for attempting to add some rationality to what was supposed to be a theological thread.
The eye of the beholder?????
Psychiatrist, draws a / on the note pad
Patient, says”nude man.”
Doc, draws \ on note pad.
Patient, says”nude woman.”
Doc, draws X on note pad.
Patient, says”man and woman having sex.”
Doc, asks why do you always think of sex?
Patient replies” you keep showing me these sexy drawings!”
Thank you. I appreciate your level headed attitude.
self-right·eous
adjective
having or characterized by a certainty, especially an unfounded one, that one is totally correct or morally superior.
“self-righteous indignation and complacency”
synonyms: sanctimonious, holier-than-thou, self-satisfied, smug, priggish, complacent, pious, moralizing, preachy, superior, hypocritical; informalgoody-goody
If it makes you feel superior to smugly mock people who try to follow the tenets of the Catholic Catechism, so be it.
Oh, and welcome to FR!
Thank you for reason and truth.
Yeah baby, no more arguments about bikinis.
Freedom in the Western sense means that women can wear what they want for their own comfort and convenience without their choices being determined by the lowest impulses of men versus Islam where if a woman shows her ankles, men are assumed to not be able to prevent themselves from raping her.
“Freedom in the Western sense” also means everything from live sex shows to fag “pride” parades and everything in between. People seem to not want to see that there is another alternative between wild and increasing hedonistic license and mohammedan totalitarian repression.
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