Hockey star joins Bristol academic in the fight for better PE kits for girls
Research shows uncomfortable or revealing sports kits can prevent teenage girls from participating
Olympic sports star Tess Howard has teamed up with experts at the University of Bristol to improve PE kits for girls.
The Team GB hockey player is the founder of Inclusive Sportswear, an organisation dedicated to making sports kits suitable for everyone.
"We're delighted to be working with University of Bristol researchers to support our work because PE kit should never be the reason someone stops playing sport or feels unable to fully participate," the hockey star said.
The study involved interviews and focus groups with 12 to 13-year-old girls and PE teachers from mixed-sex secondary schools in England.
Its findings revealed girls with lower self-esteem may be less likely to join in their PE lessons if compulsory items of clothing felt too tight or revealing.
"We all have memories of our school PE kits and whether they were appealing, comfy, and warm enough," said Dr Alice Porter, from the University of Bristol
"Our study looked at how PE kits affect how girls feel about their bodies, how much they are involved in, and their attitude towards school sports.
"Our findings clearly evidence that when girls don't have any choice over their PE uniform, this can be a deterrent to their participation, especially for girls who feel self-conscious and are lacking in self-confidence."
Results showed girls want to choose the types of bottoms, such as leggings, jogging bottoms, or shorts, they wear for PE.
They also want the option to wear additional layers, so they can cover up parts of their bodies they feel self-conscious about.
The research recommends that PE uniforms should be offered in a range of styles to suit all pupils and should not be gender-labelled for girls or boys, so irrespectively they feel empowered to choose what suits them best.
"Kit is a public health issue, and it's a barrier that can be lifted," said Tess Howard.
"Far too often, traditional sports kit policies inadequately support the diverse needs of pupils and forget the purpose of sport - to have fun," she added.