Time for Changes in a Traditionally "Female" Sport

For many decades, rhythmic gymnastics has been a sport that only women can enjoy as participants (but, curiously, not as spectators).Rhythmic gymnastics stands alongside synchronized swimming in terms of this restriction. No other popular sport, whether an official Olympic discipline or not, draws a gender line.

In fact, some other sports that involve dance, music and even ballet moves, such as figure skating, not only allow participants from both genders, but also allow them to participate at the same time (for example, in the mixed pairs). The same is true of various disciplines of acrobatics.

In Japan, men have been training and performing as rhythmic gymnasts for many years. Other countries have also shown an interest introducing routines for men and among them is the current leader in the sport, Russia and other prominent rhythmic gymnastics nations, such as Spain and Italy.

If so many people around the world think that including men is a good idea, why hasn't it happened yet? Well, a lot of it has to do with overcoming the force of habit and addressing stereotypes.

Some fans and professionals alike worry that the sport will become "too acrobatic" and lose the characteristics of gymnastics that involve musical interpretation and work with the apparatus. Others worry that working with a different type of apparatus for men may make the sport "more like juggling." What is not clear to me is why these concerns apply only to men, and not to women in the sport. There are certainly women who have strong acrobatic skills or who emphasize apparatus work. If there is a Code of Points in place which mandates what routines should include, the dangers of swinging to the acrobatic or juggler side can be prevented.

Still others are concerned that some of the mandatory elements in the sport "just do not look good on men." But if we look at pirouettes and jumps in ballet, many elements are frequently performed by all dancers, including the essential turns and jumps.

Also, because rhythmic gymnastics has been so "feminine" over the years that other critics of the inclusion of men in the sport may wonder: would men "look good" in colorful leotards with Swarovski crystals? The answer is that, of course, they will look great if everything is done with taste and attention... and, in fact, we know from experience that plenty of existing women teams can certainly use more taste in attention in leotard design. It is very easy to look ridiculous in an overly decorated leotard, regardless of whether you are a man or a woman.

But a greater point should be that, if you want to be a gymnast, you should have the opportunity to do so under existing rules. If your desires and talents include more acrobatics, or more dance, or more sparkles on the leotard, you should have the opportunity to show that within established limits. Other sports have shown that audiences enjoy watching men and women as long as they are good athletes. And if we look at the Japanese men who have engaged in this sport so far, the quality of athleticism is hardly a question.