Women’s rights activists have criticised a sports campaign in which professional rugby players wear skimpy lingerie to show that “strength is beauty”.
Ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, stars of Great Britain’s rugby sevens team have taken part in a campaign launched by London-based lingerie brand Bluebella. In the snaps released to promote the campaign, the players are seen on the pitch wearing matching bras and knickers, some with garters.
The aim of the images, Bluebella says, is to encourage women to go to the gym to build strength rather than for aesthetic reasons, in a bid to promote “body confidence”, but many women’s rights activists, including high-profile sportswomen such as Martina Navratilova, have criticised Bluebella for what it says is a “sexist” message.
Women in Sport, an organisation that encourages women of all ages to take up sport across the UK, added that it was “uncomfortable” that their statistics had been included in the campaign “without our knowledge”, while criticising the use of “highly sexualised” images to promote the message.
The Strong is Beautiful campaign, run by east London-based lingerie brand Bluebella, has been criticised by women’s rights activists as “regressive”.
The “strong is beautiful” message, which was launched earlier this week, shows Team GB Rugby Sevens players, including Jasmine Joyce, Celia Quansah and Ellie Boatman, wearing lace and mesh bras and briefs, straps and swimwear, along with rugby boots and socks, on the field.
The players then take part in typical rugby drills, such as line-outs, all dressed in light clothing.
Alongside the photos, Bluebella’s campaign pointed out that 64% of girls aged 13 and over drop out of sport due to body image issues, a statistic derived from Women in Sport research.
Harlequins player Ellie Boatman said “not many girls” played rugby when she was growing up because they were perceived as “weak”; while Bristol Bears’ Jasmine Joyce said girls feel “conscious” about their bodies but urged them to “embrace” their appearance.
Ellie, 27, from Camberley, Surrey, said: ‘There weren’t many girls playing rugby ten years ago when I started and it was tough being the only girl in a team. Often our opposing teams thought: “They’ve got one girl and they’re going to be weak.”
‘Sometimes you could even hear parents telling their sons to target the girl because she would be the weakest link in the team. It was also clear that the boys were the most celebrated and all the effort was focused on them.
Harlequins player Ellie Boatman said “not many girls” played rugby when she was growing up because they were seen as “weak”.
Jasmine, 28, from Wales, said she used to feel uncomfortable in lingerie.
The three women starred in the advert amid worrying statistics revealing that more than half of secondary school girls give up all sport by the age of 16.
‘Little or no expense would be spent on girls’ facilities and I would be given a boys’ team that would completely overwhelm me.’
Ellie, the team’s leading try scorer, has spoken of her own struggles with body confidence, revealing she once struggled with an eating disorder while attending Southampton University.
“It’s something I had to fight through and now training to be strong, fit and healthy is a big priority for me.”
He also shared some advice for those who train solely for aesthetic reasons.
Training to improve my appearance is no longer my thing. I love training to be strong, fit and healthy.
I would say it is better to train for your own health, fitness and enjoyment, rather than just for your appearance.
“Exercise should be something you do to look after yourself and enjoy, not some kind of punishment. Bluebella’s campaign is about showing girls that sport and exercise can help them feel really empowered and how they can look muscular and strong, as well as feeling feminine.”
Bluebella’s #StrongIsBeautiful campaign aims to improve teenage girls’ attitudes towards their bodies and encourage them to take up sport.
Celia Quansah, 28, who plays for Leicester Tigers Women, said growing up she was told she looked like a “man” but now felt “empowered” in lingerie.
The women shared how sexism and a lack of body confidence nearly thwarted their interests in sport (pictured: Celia and Ellie in Bluebella lingerie)
However, not everyone agrees that the campaign is “empowering” and many people have taken to social media to criticise the images and message as “sexist”.
On X (formerly Twitter), prominent feminist voices expressed their displeasure, with journalist Nicole Lampert saying: “There’s a new campaign to get teenage girls into sports. It’s called #strongisbeautiful. It’s been launched by the British rugby players posing in lingerie. I find it very retrograde and sexist. Maybe I’m just old.”
He later clarified that the campaign was not a Team GB initiative.
However, in response to Nicole’s tweet, many people took to social media to insist that she is not “too old” – rather, they don’t think the campaign is in good taste.
Labour MP Rosie Duffield said: “This is the definition of ‘sexism’. As old as time. Convincing women to take off more clothes is ’embracing their power’ or some other marketing bullshit.”
‘These women are powerful and beautiful in their sports uniforms, on the field, showing little girls that these uniforms are for them too…’
Another X user said in dismay: ‘OMG who signed this!’
And Martina Navratilova, a tennis champion who now dedicates her career to promoting equality in men’s and women’s sports, added: “No, you’re not too old. This is a complete step backwards…”
“You can be beautiful with your clothes on too. I hate it,” said another.
Alongside the campaign, Jasmine said: ‘The one thing I would say to girls about body confidence is to enjoy who you are.
‘You’ll never be perfect and there will always be parts of your body you’re not sure about, but embrace it all.
‘I haven’t always felt comfortable in lingerie, but after doing this shoot I definitely felt more comfortable being able to embrace my body and feel empowered.’
The campaign was heavily criticised on X/Twitter, where people suggested it was “sexist” and “regressive”.
Celia Quansah, 28, who plays for Leicester Tigers women’s team, said growing up she was told she looked like a “man”, leading her to feel “ashamed” of her muscles.
She explained: ‘I think one of the biggest challenges for women’s rugby is people’s perception that you can’t be feminine and play rugby, which comes up a lot.
‘People love to say that women shouldn’t play rugby or that you’re too pretty to play rugby and all these things that just aren’t true.
“When I was little, I was always a little bit embarrassed about my muscles and my body. People would always say things like ‘you look like a man’ and all that kind of insults.
“I think as you get older, you really learn to love your body, and I feel really proud of that now, especially when I’m in the gym.”
Bluebella Lingerie’s #StrongIsBeautiful campaign has been running for eight years and aims to improve teenage girls’ attitudes towards their bodies and encourage them to play sports.
The underwear brand has previously worked with female athletes at the Rio Olympics in 2016, the Tokyo Games in 2021 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023.
Emily Bendell, CEO and founder of Bluebella, said: “We need to change the perception that strong female fitness isn’t ‘feminine’. The idea that strength and femininity don’t go hand in hand is a really damaging perception to keeping women in sport, but also more generally.
‘We are delighted that these three GB Rugby Sevens players are supporting the #StrongIsBeautiful campaign and helping to challenge attitudes that are sadly still prevalent.’
However, critics say the campaign is instead promoting a “regressive” message.
An X user said: ‘There may be many teenage girls who feel that they cannot play rugby and be feminine. I also have no doubts about the players’ good intentions for this campaign.
‘But to direct this sexualized representation of femininity and women’s sport at teenagers… ‘ is regressive.’
Another person responded directly to Bluebella saying: “This is so insulting and disrespectful to female athletes. Female athletes deserve to be respected for their athleticism and abilities, not forced to dress in this pornographic manner to please men.”
Femail has contacted Bluebella for comment.
(tags to translate)dailymail
