Is Modesty Dead?

For many years, those of us who like to watch Olympic beach volleyball have watched the mostly naked women show us their athletic best. And much more. Mind you, the men wear tank tops and shorts that can go down nearly to their knees. I haven’t heard of any campaign to put them just in speedos. Yet. Do I sound a bit cynical? It’s just that I’m disappointed that the women are just about as scantily clad as they can be. Yes, I know that bikinis have been considered beachwear since the 1950s. But I think these incredible athletes have earned the right to be garbed in a more modest fashion, and I also believe that there are bigger issues than sand getting down their shirts.

Let me give you the background on athletic wear at international events, such as the Olympics. In 2021 at a European event, the women’s beach volleyball team from Norway asked to be permitted to wear shorts:

The team had petitioned to wear the shorts its players train in from the start of the tournament, [Norwegian Handball Federation President Kåre Geir] Lio said, but was threatened by the EHA with a fine or disqualification. By Sunday's bronze medal game, the women decided to make a statement. ‘It was very spontaneous. We thought, 'Let's just do it now, and then see what happens,'’ player Katinka Haltvik told Norwegian broadcaster NRK. ‘I got a message ten minutes before the match that they would wear the clothing that they were satisfied with. And they got our full support,’ Lio said.

The women athletes have been permitted since the Olympic games in London to wear shorts and shirts, depending on the country they play in. Most have continued to wear bikinis. So, it appears that modesty is not a high priority for them.

After all, what is modesty?

Many people would say that modesty is an outdated and archaic virtue. After all, we see women at the Academy Awards and Met Gala who wear see-thru dresses. No one will arrest them for indecent exposure, and they are sure to get plenty of “exposure” on the fashion pages. I’m sure they make all kinds of comments about wanting to “display the beauty of the woman’s body,” and they want to put to rest the idea that they are prudish in any way. That there might be a downside to dressing in this manner apparently hasn’t occurred to them. (What might their children think?)

In trying to clarify for myself the definition of modest clothing, I found this statement:

Modesty in clothing transcends mere fabric; it's a profound expression of self-respect and cultural values. Modest clothing typically refers to garments that cover the body in a way that conceals rather than reveals. It embraces a sense of decency and humility, celebrating elegance without excess.

When asked about the possibility of wearing shorts (which are still immodest but an improvement), Jennifer Kessy, a 2012 London Olympic silver medalist, answered in this way:

It’s totally a personal choice. It wasn’t comfortable for me. Way too sweaty and too much sand. But, in certain situations leggings could be a good option — just not in the heat. There are also certain times of the month that wearing a bikini isn’t always such a comfortable option, especially when you’re on TV. So it’s important to have the freedom to choose what works best for you. Players should be able to wear what they want and what makes them perform the best — and for me it was a bikini.

At the other extreme of fashion, Muslim women from France were prohibited from wearing the hijab when they competed:

Marwa Abdelhady and Doaa Elghobashy represented Egypt at the Paris Olympics, wearing hijabs, long black sleeved shirts and black ankle length leggings in a women’s beach volleyball match against Spain. If they had been playing for France, the pair would not have been allowed to wear their hijabs. The host of this year’s Olympics has banned its athletes from wearing any ‘ostensible religious symbols’ while competing.

I can’t help wondering if any competitors wore Stars of David or a Christian cross while they competed. I can’t imagine wearing a hijab in competition, but as Jennifer Kessy said in a previous paragraph, “. . . choose what works best for you.”

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I am not pursuing this discussion just for modesty’s sake. Modesty in clothing was once a treasured virtue, exemplifying dignity and decency. I rank this virtue with several others, and it helps to know what a virtue actually is:

Virtues, in contrast [to values], are universal ideal standards and qualities of behavior and being. They are considered to be good for all.

Universal virtues allow us to honor each other through our actions and behaviors and thoughts. When they begin to disappear, we lose part of ourselves.

Do you have virtues that you try to live by? Do you think that modesty should still be included nowadays, particularly in our Judeo-Christian country? Or do you think that I’m the one who is archaic and outmoded?