Should female badminton players be forced to wear skirts?

The Badminton World Federation's new dress code is eliciting outrage — and accusations of sexism

Professional female badminton players wear shorts during a 2011 tournament in Malaysia: The Badminton World Federation will force elite-level women to wear skirts and dresses.
(Image credit: REUTERS/Bazuki Muhammad)

With the 2012 Olympics fast approaching, the Badminton World Federation is trying to pretty up its oft-overlooked sport, and courting controversy in the process. In an effort to draw more fans and sponsors, the federation has decreed that, starting this week, elite-level female players must wear skirts and dresses. The new rule has been slammed as sexist and offensive — especially to the many Muslim players who must dress modestly for religious reasons. (They've been told that they can wear pants underneath their dresses and skirts.) Is this dress code over the line?

What's the big deal? The goal is for women to "look nicer on the court and have more marketing value for themselves," says Paisan Rangsikitpho, the deputy president of the Badminton World Federation, as quoted by The New York Times. We think the sport deserves more viewers, but this isn't about selling sex. We just want female players to look "feminine" so they'll be more "popular."

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