‘Born of patriarchal forces’: Nike’s U.S. women’s Olympic kits draw criticism [Video]

Nike’s new outfit design for the U.S. women’s Olympic team has been widely criticized on social media by athletes and fans alike, with one former U.S. athlete describing it as a “costume born of patriarchal forces.”

Images of both the men’s and women’s outfits dressed on mannequins were made public last week as part of a kit launch ahead of Paris 2024.

The picture of the women’s leotard on display had a high-cut bikini line and triggered a wave of criticism.

“Professional athletes should be able to compete without dedicating brain space to constant pube vigilance or the mental gymnastics of having every vulnerable piece of your body on display,” former U.S. track and field athlete Lauren Fleshman wrote in an Instagram post.

“Women’s kits should be in service to performance, mentally and physically. If this outfit was truly beneficial to physical performance, men would wear it.