Living the paradox: female athletes negotiate femininity and muscularity

Sex Roles: A Journal of Research,  March, 2004  by Vikki Krane,  Precilla Y.L. Choi,  Shannon M. Baird,  Christine M. Aimar,  Kerrie J. Kauer

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Track Athlete 3 best articulated the general feelings of discomfort associated with these uniforms when she said: "you feel completely naked ... your butt's right there."

Ironically, although the athletes thought that their "excessive" size and musculature was exposed in their uniforms, they also acknowledged that they were perceived as sexy in their revealing uniforms. Generally they stated that men attended their sporting events just to see them in their revealing uniforms: "Guys, like you know, 'Oh yeah, come to gymnastics, girls in leotards," and "Yeah, we've had comments like, 'oh you wear those spandex, I'll come to your games'" (Volleyball). Distance Runner 1 explained:

      Guys will come to our races because we wear those things. They're
      like, 'You guys wear those? Oh my gosh, we're coming!'... Of
      course nobody would come see a cross-country race unless they knew
      we wore those things.

The women complained that they were sexualized rather than appreciated for their athletic achievement. To minimize feeling exposed and reduce being sexualized, the athletes tended to wear additional clothes over their uniforms when not competing. Gymnast 2 explained:

      After you compete, you put something on, like even if it's just a
      T-shirt or if it's something else. The only time you're really
      standing around with your leotard on is if you're about to go out
      there or if you're competing. Usually we don't really just sit
      around.... I personally just don't like to stand around in it
      [laughter] because people are constantly looking at you. I just
      feel uncomfortable if that happens.

Distance Runner 1 stated: "we definitely don't wear our [uniforms] until
  we're racing.... We don't run around in those things. No way." A
  tennis player agreed: "I usually just put my sweatpants on [when not
  playing]."

The athletes knew that their bodies differed from the feminine ideal body. This incompatibility negatively affected their body image (i.e., a desire to be less muscular) and resulted in concerns about how others perceived them, even during competitions. Their uniforms were a unique source of stress because of the exposure of their bodies in front of an audience. Yet immediately prior to competing, the athletes were able to shift their focus from body image concerns to performance. Distance Runner 1 said: "When I'm racing I'm not caring what I'm looking like at all, if it's like sexual or not. I'm just out there to feel comfortable in my uniform and race." The athletes articulated that they became used to wearing their revealing uniforms.

Gymnast 2: How do I feel about them? I've been in them all my life. Umm,
  I don't know
Volleyball Player 1: Well I'm comfortable in them now because we've worn
  them for a long time and you just get used to them.
VB/Hockey Player: You grow into it 'cause you have to wear them
  everyday.

The athletes also seemed to have incorporated wearing their uniforms into their competitive mental preparation routines. They described wearing their uniforms as putting on "your game face" and feeling ready to compete. This sentiment was expressed in the following interaction among the track athletes: