I looked down at the white line that divided me from the rest of the track ahead. Around me stood young girls with exhausted expressions, preparing their stances. As I readied myself for the sprint, I felt sweat drip from my forehead and neck. It was surprisingly hot for a fall day and the sun was beating down on us. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the boys team doing their practice warm up. They were clothed in their normal ensemble: no shirts, tiny shorts, sneakers. I then looked back the girls. In contrast, we all had on shirts; most in short sleeves, some in long sleeves. One girl even had on a light fleece; she had forgotten to check the weather before coming to practice. I felt the jealousy that time and time again crept its way into my mind on hot days.
Frustrated, I turned to our captain and, for the millionth time, asked “why is it again that we can’t just take off our shirts?” She, who was also pretty fed up, went to our female coach and asked if we could run in our sports bras “just this once.” It was a hotter than average day and I was feeling as if I was about to pass out. She responded with a curt “no” and reminded us that it was against the school rules to run without shirts on. I looked at the boys and then back at her. Reading my reaction, she just stated “there are different expectations for us.” When our captain argued that we were across the street from campus, where it was improbable that somebody who cared would see, coach insisted that the school would get calls from passing drivers. We continued our practice in the heat “appropriately clothed.”
Even though that practice was a few months ago, I again feel the frustration and sadness that I felt on the track that day. Frustrated, because how could such an obvious double standard exist?How can someone other than myself decide what I put on, or take off, my body? Saddened, because I saw that my coach had been effected by an over sexualized society. As a result of these effects, she is now influencing the body image of young girls.
When she mentioned the different expectations for girls, she was telling all of us, including the fourteen year olds on our team, that our bodies would make others feel uncomfortable. We are the ones who were uncomfortable.
However, regardless of how hot we were, we should have been able to take our shirts off. Our breasts are just breasts. Our shoulders are just shoulders. Our thighs are just thighs. They are the individual parts that make up our beautiful bodies. They are not there to be stared at or catcalled, or to please anyone but us. And finally, they are definitely not there to be over sexualized. I’m sure my coach didn’t realize the effect she had by making one short comment. That’s why it’s important to be aware that the way society is teaching women to view their bodies is wrong. If we keep pushing for change, it is my hope that one day no girl will ever feel the need to stand in front of the mirror before school and debate whether or not to change her outfit because she is afraid of being told to show less skin.
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