“No person should be put off participating in any sport based purely on what the uniform requires them to wear.”
The legacy of gendered and sexualised uniforms dates back to Victorian times, but only in recent years have sportswomen begun questioning hyper-feminised attire in a bid to debunk the cultural stigma about what it means to be an athletic female.
Germany’s gymnastics team chose to compete in unitards rather than leotards at the Tokyo Olympics, while the Norwegian beach handball team were fined for choosing to wear shorts over bikini briefs at a European Championship match in 2021, sparking a conversation about sexualised clothing for female athletes.
“The right to wear, or not wear, a clothing item, or the cultural traditions where a clothing item is based on misogyny or patriarchy, floods in every single society. It’s a huge narrative that sport is helping to bring to life in a very practical way,” reflects Howard, who is now on a mission to change the face of her sport.
Her research, published this month in the peer-reviewed journal, Sport, Education and Society, is already driving change in hockey circles.
After presenting her findings to England Hockey, the governing body revised its playing kit regulations last September to allow female players at all levels of the game the option of wearing shorts.
But there is a problem. “There are no hockey brands that make hockey shorts for women,” explains Howard, “so, it’s up to the hockey brands to step up.”
As a forward for East Grinstead in hockey’s top female division, she is yet to benefit from a pair of bespoke shorts herself. “I’m in conversations at the moment with my club sponsor to make me a pair of shorts,” Howard says.
