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When Olympic Team Was Fined For Wearing Shorts, Pink Stepped Up & Offered To Pay Fines

A two-photo collage. The first shows the Norwegian female beach handball team posing together while wearing their uniform with shorts. The second image shows a close up of Pink smiling as she talks into a mic.

In case Pink hasn’t made it clear enough in her songs, she has zero tolerance for the sexist rules and laws that countless women face every single day around the world. But the singer’s passion for equity doesn’t end with her powerful music. She can also be found standing up for women who are facing those injustices. That’s certainly what happened back in 2021 when Pink intervened for a women’s Olympic team who were given a fine for the most ridiculous reason.

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In short, the Norwegian female beach handball team was fined for wearing uniforms that didn’t meet the requirements as stated by the European Handball Federation. At first glance, it might not be obvious why this is so messed up. But here’s the deal: In order to meet the requirements, the women have to wear bikini bottoms. More specifically, bikini bottoms with a side width of no more than 3.9 inches. They also have to have a “close fit” and “cut on an upward angle toward the top of the leg.”

Diagram of the required uniform for women as found in the European Handball Federation rulebook. Text above: Before
Text below: #letthemwearshorts
International Handball Federation scraps sexist bikini rule!
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Meanwhile, the men’s uniforms are exactly what you’d expect. All that’s required is that their shorts aren’t “too baggy” and 10 centimeters above the knees. It’s no wonder, then, when news spread of this Norwegian team being fined, so did news of these sexists uniforms. Pink was so disgusted that she didn’t hesitate to offer and pay for the team’s fine.

Pink Offers to Pay Olympic Fine Over Sexist Rule

A three-photo collage. In one Pink is on a red carpet, posing by making "rock" symbols with her hands. One shows the Norwegian women's handball team posing in shorts. The third is a tweet from Pink that reads: I'm VERY proud of the Norwegian female beach handball team FOR PROTESTING THE VERY SEXIST RULES ABOUT THEIR 'uniform'. The European handball federation SHOULD BE FINED FOR SEXISM. Good on ya, ladies. I'll be happy to pay your fines for you. Keep it up.
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“I’m VERY proud of the Norwegian female beach handball team FOR PROTESTING THE VERY SEXIST RULES ABOUT THEIR ‘uniform,'” Pink writes in a since deleted tweet. “The European handball federation SHOULD BE FINED FOR SEXISM. Good on ya, ladies. I’ll be happy to pay your fines for you. Keep it up.”

As you can imagine, this beloved team was floored over the attention they received from celebs and sports fans alike. What truly left them speechless, though, is the fact that in making so much noise, the sexist rule was changed the next year!

“Thank you so much for all the support,” the team’s official Instagram account writes. “We really appreciate all the love we have received. You’re the best.”

It goes to show what’s possible when we use our voices to speak out against injustices!

You can find the source of this story’s featured image here and here!

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