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No skirts in boxing says women boxers
By Daneysse Victoria Daniels
Published 11/9/2011
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Quick mixes of left- and right-jab combinations sent across the face of either defender. A tall-standing boxer throws a right hook toward its opposer as she backs them down against the ropes and then goes in for the knock out.

That’s right, she. 

A female boxer. 

Once banned from Olympic competition for most of the 20th century, female boxing has now made its way back to center stage of Olympic talk, but not for reasons you may think.

After fighting and pushing for their chance to compete at the 2012 London Olympic Games, female boxers may now be forced to abid by a dresscode and wear miniskirts in the ring.

After being accepted onto the program by the International Olymic Committee in August 2009, the initernational Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) suggested to other national federations that wearing skirts would help women stand out from men’s competitions.

Although the AIBA has not made a final decision on whether or not female boxers will be held to the strick uniform rules of miniskirts during these matches the suggestion, as figured, has not gained much support from female boxers.

Ireland's three-time world champion Katie Taylor  said in an interview with the BBC that she will not be wearing a miniskirt during compeition. Taylor said that she does not wear a skirt when she is out of the ring, so why would she want to wear one inside of the ring.

AIBA officals said they will plan to meet sometime in January to discuss the issue and take in recommendations from worldwide boxing federations and other public outlets.

Why should female boxers even consider wearing miniskirts during their matches? Do male boxers have to wear shirts when they compete?

Here is the background.

At the European Championships in the Netherlands last month, fighters from Poland and Romania were the only fighters to wear miniskirts during their matches.

But by choice, not by force.

After the suggestion handed down by the AIBA, it brings back the thought of previous strick social norms about women in society.

Women have usually been thought to be the happy homemaker for the American Society. The general thought of women boxing in a ring is just not the norm. Female boxing did not make its official booming debute in the United States until the 1980s.

Fighters like Laila Ali, daughter of lengendary boxer and the first and only, three-time Lineal World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali, Jackie Frazier-Lyde, daughter of the also legendary former Heavyweight Champion Joe Frazier, and Lucia Rijker are all world champions in the sport.

None of them wore miniskirts during their matches.

Forcing women to wear miniskirts while boxing in the Olymic Games will only bring back these unrealistic social norms that society has about women. Women have been able to make some serious strides against the typical norms society has placed on them.

Women are no longer just staying at home and raising children. If the sport of female boxing is going to truly make its way back into the spotlight with an appearance in the 2012 London Olympic Games, they need to be treated just like the males in the sport. 

If males are allowed to wear no shirt and just shorts, the typical uniform shown in the male side of boxing, then females should just keep with the sports bra and shorts as well.

This is not a fashion show; it's boxing.

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