Pink Offers To Pay Norwegian Handball Team's Fines For Breaking Sexist Rule
Pink is offering to help out in the Norwegian women’s beach handball team’s fight against sexist uniform rules
In case you missed these headlines last week, the sport of beach handball has some pretty darn sexist uniform rules. While men are allowed to compete in shorts and tank tops, women are required by international rules to wear midriff-bearing tops and tight, high-cut bikini bottoms when they play. Last week, the women’s national team from Norway made headlines around the world when they wore shorts to a Euro Finals match in protest of the rules. Now, Pink is speaking out in support.
Ilnar Tukhbatov/Epsilon/Getty
The Norwegian women’s team was fined 1,500 Euros by the European Handball Federation, which enforces the uniform rules in the Euro Final tournament where the team was playing. Soon after the news went viral, Pink took to Twitter to show her support for the Norwegian team.
https://twitter.com/jetpack/status/1417123261658324992
“I’m VERY proud of the Norwegian female beach handball team FOR PROTESTING THE VERY SEXIST RULES ABOUT THEIR ‘uniform,'” she wrote. “The European handball federation SHOULD BE FINED FOR SEXISM.”
But Pink went a step further than just speaking her support — she also offered to pay the team’s fine for them.
“Good on ya, ladies. I’ll be happy to pay your fines for you,” she added. “Keep it up.”
The European Handball Federation’s rules say that women’s uniform bottoms must have “a close fit and cut on an upward angle toward the top of the leg. The side width must be of a maximum of 10 centimeters.” The Norwegian team has been fighting this requirement for years, saying tight, revealing bikini bottoms aren’t suitable for a sport played in the sand. They’ve been asking to be able to compete in the shorts they wear when they practice at home, and during their match against Spain last week, decided to just play in the shorts in protest.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CRqclSrnJoT/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ea7ac12f-bdb5-4f6d-8307-44e6470661bf
EHF President Michael Wiederer has since said that the organization will be looking into the inequity in men’s and women’s uniforms.
“I can confirm that the EHF will do all it can to ensure that a change of athlete uniform regulations can be implemented,” he said in a statement. “Significant efforts will be made in order to further promote the sport in the best way possible for everyone, regardless of gender.”
That statement came after voices from around the world — including Pink’s — called for change. It’s a nice reminder that positive change can happen when enough people demand it.
