Apparel, Choreography, and Music: Gendered Differences

Visually, the differences between male and female skaters are extremely obvious. As previously discussed, figure skating is a sport that is heavily tied to aesthetics and is perceived more as an artistic performance. With the performative aspect in mind, it is easy to understand why costume, choreography, and music are three very important aspects of a routine. With these aspects, the standards for them are incredibly gendered. Anyone involved in figure skating, even from a young age can tell you that boys wear black skates and girls wear white skates. Even a small thing like this, which is so blindly taken as the norm furthers the deeply engrained gendering of figure skating. While it is easy to assume that these gender distinctions are simply a result of long-standing traditions in figure skating, it is important to acknowledge that structurally, figure skating has gender-specific equipment, costumes, music, rules, and moves that are standardized and outlined by sport governing bodies such as the ISU.

Historically, there were no specific rules regarding skating costumes up until the 1980s and then the ISU instituted a costume rule that held until 2004.

The clothing of competitors must be midest, dignified, and appropriate for athletic competition – not garish or theatrical in design. Clothing may, however, reflect the character of the music chosen… Ladies must wear a skirt. The ladies must not give the effect of excessive nudity inappropriate for an athletic sport. Men must wear full length trousers; no tights are permitted and the clothing must not be sleeveless.

Adams 2011, 207

With the ISU standardizing gendered distinctions, they ensured that men and women would not hold similar aesthetics on the ice, and the gendered difference would be very apparent. In regard to the rule specifically, the inclusion of the clause describing what clothing women must wear asserts that skirts must be worn but the costume needs to be modest and dignified. This rule is extremely subjective and can cause issues in competition as what is classified as modest, dignified, and appropriate for athletic competition is up to the judges, who change from competition to competition. Women are told that their costumes cannot be theatrical in design, but at the same time, are expected to complement the chosen music, which implies that the routine is theatrical. While it is directly stated by the ISU that women’s costumes are to be “modest” and “appropriate for athletic competition”, the ISU has been lenient in their judging of ‘modesty’ most likely to keep pushing the sexualization of female skaters to engage a heteronormative audience while appealing to the male gaze. The irony is not lost and the inclusion of a standardized dress code is another example of limiting skaters’ biopower. Additionally, the clause about men’s dress code explicitly denies male skaters the ability to wear tights and sleeveless tops. These exclusions show the ISU’s efforts to showcase male skaters as more masculine as public discussion surrounding male skaters usually stereotypes them as effeminate and gay for participating in a ‘feminine sport’. The ISU has heavily been concerned about these perceptions, and structurally has attempted to standardize men’s skating in a way that dispels these popular beliefs. Adams writes

the [no tights] rule responds to the greater fear that tights might lead spectators to associate figure skating with ballet… skating officials want to make sure their male competitors are seen as athletes not dancers

Adams 2011, 208

This is a shocking double standard by officials for wanting male skaters to be perceived as masculine athletes, while at the same time positioning female skaters to be “elegant princesses, bubbly pixies or alluring vixens” (Adams 2011, 199). Linda Leaver who was the coach for 1988 Olympic U.S champion, Brian Boitana was quoted saying

“I think getting away from the sequins is good for the sport. I think both men and women like to watch men be masculine on the ice and women be beautiful”

Adams 2011, 213

It is beliefs like these that keep fueling societal standards that masculinity and beauty cannot be associated together—if as a society, we don’t escape these outdated patterns of thinking, progress to eliminate such surface-level gender distinctions can’t happen. Overall, we see that these gender distinctions promote masculine hegemonic ideals and only further misogyny which is already so deeply ingrained in the history of figure skating.