Whether embossed with slogans (such as “Gender is a social construct,” “Nevertheless, she persisted,” or “Injustice for some is injustice for all”), colored or crowned by emblematic symbols, the outfits that female athletes wear might be pre-ordained by a sporting organization or simply the athleisurewear of individual choice. Yet, as in the arena of Sport for Development (S4D), much of women’s sportswear remains dependent upon societal notions, constrained by religious protocol, patriarchal controls, peer pressures, even industry-chosen construction. Equally important is examining where, and by whom, and under what conditions it is produced. As women’s sports become ever more accepted, it is time to examine how their clothing fits, literally, into the fabric of a discussion on decolonial praxis.
