#10 AWEAR TopicThe Leggings Are Not the Problem, But the Self-Imposed Gender Stereotypes Is
Tags: Fashion, Stereotypes, Sexism, Leggings, Gender

Photo from Athleta

How Leggings Started as Men’s Fashion and Ended Up Being as Women’s

The origin of the first iteration of leggings can be traced back to Scottish culture in the 14th century. Leggings usually came in two pieces, one for each leg, and were commonly seen on men who wore them for casual and military purposes. For the next several centuries, the adoption of leggings spread to the rest of the world, with Europe adoring this garment the most. It was not until the 19th century that women began to don leggings and reinvent them for fashion purposes.

Before the 1960s, leggings remained an undergarment at large; the 1960s saw how many pioneers in high fashion and sportswear slowly transformed leggings into a more feminine version for more form-fitting looks. By the 1980s, women were no longer satisfied with wearing leggings for fitness classes and incorporated them into their everyday wardrobes. It is undeniable that leggings have become an indispensable element in women’s wear, but to think that it was actually men that created leggings and are now being heavily judged by associating leggings with less masculinity is quite a dramatic, ironic turn.

Beware of the Sexism Coming From Self-imposed Gender Discrimination

Because of the soft and elastic features, leggings have been transformed from a workout/studio-only wear to many females’ first choice as a daily garment. However, while those features bring comfort and convenience, the leggings’ tightness also exposes the shape of body, making them an excuse for sexism. Last year, Maryann White, a mother of four sons, wrote a letter called “The Leggings Problem” to Notre Dame’s student newspaper, indicating that leggings are so naked and exposing to be such an unforgiving garment. Though White claimed that she was not trying to insult anyone or infringe upon anyone’s rights, the content is about nothing but policing women’s bodies.

“The Leggings Problem” is hardly an independent case. In the New York Times, A female author once published an op-ed explaining that females are wearing leggings because they’re sexy. These examples show the true nature of sexism and stereotype, which is they do not always only exist between genders but can also come from the same gender. Similar to the logic of some women using leggings to police females’ bodies, males’ rejection of wearing leggings can also be attributed to self-imposed prejudice. We should beware of these phenomena about prejudice inside the same gender, because they are not only reflected in the freedom to dress, but can affect any rights you may have, including the right to abortion and education.

Op-ed

Viola

Fashion: I probably cannot count leggings with my two hands. From yoga pants to tights, I have A TON of legging-related wear. I wear leggings as pants and enjoy their stretchy yet form-fitting feeling. They are so functional, but they can make you look very put-together. I would wear them everyday if I can.

Insights: My parents used to always nag me about not wearing yoga pants by themselves because she thinks that they would accentuate my curves and body lines too much and draw too much attention to myself. Though I do not agree with their victim-blaming mentality, and I have to admit that this thinking is quite prevalent, which would force women and men alike to not feel secure in their own bodies and internalize objectification from others.

Jessie

Fashion: Though leggings are still my workout only wear I enjoy seeing people wear them on any occasion. I love how energetic and confident people look when wearing leggings. The only reason I do not wear leggings as a daily garment is that I haven’t found a pair of leggings that can perfectly match up to my existing clothes. Once I get the right one, I will definitely wear it to go anywhere.

Insights: The self-imposed gender stereotype is a tricky problem. By its very nature, I think it still comes from social norms, and some “classical” stereotypes, such as man should act like a man or female should be feminine. I wouldn’t deny that trying to be sexy is one reason why some women wear leggings, but the point is “trying to be sexy” should not be blamed. Nobody has the right to police other people’s bodies, no matter which gender the insults come from.