On February 17, Beijing time, the women's figure skating individual competition of the Beijing Winter Olympics will enter the free skating stage, and the final champion and runner-up will also be produced today. In the new report, the Associated Press interpreted the figure skating project from an alternative perspective, asking "Why aren't more female figure skaters wearing pants?" "In Tuesday's short program competition, 26-year-old girl Josephine Tayegao from Sweden is one of the very few representatives who wear pants, and it is interesting that Josephine Tayegao just finished 26th and did not qualify for today's free skating final, maybe if Josephine Tayegao chooses to wear a skirt to compete, he can reach the final? Let's take a look at the Associated Press's interpretation and coverage of this perspective.
"She's wearing pants. And on this day, she was alone. On Tuesday, Swedish figure skater Josephine Tayegao wore a dramatic pair of black singles that felt like the classic Audrey Hepburn — with a white accent and rhinestones, high buns, smoky eyes — and she was the only athlete in the 30 to wear pants for a short show. ”
Tayegao said: "I chose it because it suits music and because I feel very strong and confident in this dress. "While women who have competed in singles and doubles competitions for years have been free to wear pants during performances, very few people actually choose to wear pants in high-stakes competitions like the Olympics." Here, the aesthetics of flowing skirts, soft colors, glitter and glitter continue to dominate alongside classical music, which is synonymous with the traditional look and feel of women's figure skating. ”
"If it's a core part of scoring, even a rule change doesn't necessarily change cultural expectations," said Sheril Kutch, a writer and Purdue professor who studies gender and sports. "The people here — especially the judges — know that what they think aesthetically pleasing is a bit wrapped up in the female image."
The Associated Press commented: "While the music at the capital's indoor stadiums has taken a step towards more avant-garde and more alternative music during these Olympics, the artistic choices in the women's competitions have so far not advanced much in terms of music and costumes." That's in stark contrast to the women who danced ice (one of the four figure skating events at the Beijing Olympics), where a large number of women wore pants after the rules of the show changed. On the first day of last week's competition, six of the 23 women — more than a quarter — danced rhythmically in their pants. ”
Russian ice dancer Victoria Sinitsina wears an all-black suit with a shiny one-shoulder cropped top and leggings to create the atmosphere of a '90s New York supermodel. It doesvetail with her performance with partner Nikita Katsalapov for "Brick House" by American funk and soul band The Commodores.
"It brings something different because usually girls wear skirts, skirts," Kasarapov said. "Rhythm dance music this year, it allows us to make costumes like this, pairing the pants for the ladies. It also looks sexy and beautiful. ”
In addition to the comfortable, practical and chic look, the trouser-wearing skaters said they saw it as a way to match male partners and be consistent with the season's music. The International Skating Union chose "Street Dance Rhythms", with style options including hip hop, disco, swing dance, kroop, pop, funk, jazz, reggae, reggae and blues.
Canadian ice dancer Piper Gilles wore an orange, carnival-style, Elton John-inspired jumpsuit during the ice dance competition, though she had previously worn a skirt version during the medley team event in the first week of the Olympics. "I've actually been a little nervous about wearing pants this year. It's something I've never done before," Giles said. "We're always told to wear skirts, so it's fun to be able to get out of that state."
The US media said: "However, when considering the subjectivity of figure skating, the parameters between these sports are different. Half of the ratings are based on how the judges see their performance – the music, the costumes, the process and the overall feel. That's probably why the uniform equality of figure skating hasn't been pushed for as much as the Norwegian women's beach handball team did last year. At the European Beach Handball Championships in Bulgaria, the women refused to wear the prescribed bikini swim trunks, but instead violated the rules by wearing shorts like male players and were punished for it. ”
In Tuesday night's women's singles match, Tayegao said she was not morally opposed to skirts and incorporated all of her clothing styles into her other performances. A skirt that can sway in the air can provide eye-catching elements in figure skating that pants can't match exactly. Still, the 26-year-old girl from Sweden hasn't practiced wearing a skirt since 12.
"Because it's more comfortable that way. Sometimes if you want to go to the bathroom, it's easier," Tayegao said. "Where I skate in Sweden, we have a lot of ice rinks. If I skate only in a skirt and stockings or tights under the skirt, it is usually thin. But for me, it's definitely better to have pants. While her Olympic display featured lightning-fast spins and music from The Fugees, Tayegao didn't qualify for the free skate on Thursday night. But there was no doubt that she was still confident in her skin and pants. "I am a mature woman," Tayegao said. "And I think I look great."
[Comments: The perspective of the US media is more unique, and American culture can also be more tolerant of outliers and different voices. But figure skating women wearing skirts and not pants are definitely not sexist. You can choose to wear pants to compete, but you don't get a high score, which is normal. If in the future figure skating sets off female athletes without wearing skirts, the ornamentality of this project will be greatly reduced. 】