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BytheSea
10/21/09

In reply to Lots Of Ways For Japan's Swimmers To Get In Hot Water
I don't really agree with it, but in the case of these athletes, they're not just wearing a uniform, they're representing their entire country to the world. Japan has a very cohesive identity, where the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one. Every individual in Japan understands the cultural importance of showing pride and respect for the country. (I didn't say everyone DOES it, they just understand it.) Japan is not a country that admires individuality or diversity.

There is a certain school of thought that to be part of a team, to be just like your team members and support one another, is a great source of pride and a very honorable thing. Not just in Japan. i couldn't live that way, but there is cultural necessity for uniform looking athletes. #swimming
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Scoithniamh
10/21/09

In reply to Lots Of Ways For Japan's Swimmers To Get In Hot Water
My coach wouldn't let us wear brightly-colored nail polish to big meets, but it had nothing to do with individuality- he just didn't want any close calls on relay touches being more visible. #swimming
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Sputnik_Sweetheart
10/21/09

In reply to Lots Of Ways For Japan's Swimmers To Get In Hot Water
I am really hesitant to judge the Japanese team with our Western standards. With images of Harajuku Girls (thanks Gwen) and "Ganguro" girls, I think a lot of people people don't realize how conservative and conformist Japan actually is. I don't think this is a bad thing; it is just different than how we in the west often see our place in the world. Japan is a community based society- it is important to fit in and not cause waves for the benefit of the people around you. When I lived in Japan, my coworkers also had very strict rules about their appearances that were very similar to what is described above (no nail polish, no jewelry other than a wedding ring, etc.)

P.S. "Harajuku girls" are generally misfits in their own community, so they dress up and go to Harajuku for the opportunity to fit in with their own group.
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Edited by Sputnik_Sweetheart at 10/21/09 1:15 PM Sputnik_Sweetheart was starred

Le Kangourou de Kataroo
10/21/09

In reply to Lots Of Ways For Japan's Swimmers To Get In Hot Water
Earrings are a normal swimming rule - any jewelry at all (including hair ties on your wrists) can result in an automatic DQ.

The only thing I can think of about the hair dye is if it's temporary it can possibly fuck with the water, and I have never heard of such a thing in my years and years on a pool deck, but maybe the nail polish chips off and is hard to clean from the pool?

If these are all the time rules though, that's obnoxious. #swimming
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hortense
10/21/09

@Le Kangourou de Kataroo: We had an earring ban too--male and female swimmers. #swimming
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hydrogen_jukebox
10/21/09

In reply to Lots Of Ways For Japan's Swimmers To Get In Hot Water
In my old Catholic high school, there are still rules on the books to this day about hairstyles, excessive jewelry, backpack adornment and sweater pins that I put in place.

Though some came after my Senior year, because by then they figured "Geez, she's in NHS, this is obviously not affecting her academics..." and gave my silly eccentricity a pass. I never really understood ultra-strict guidelines about dress code - though in a sport I can see why having something like odd earrings/piercings can be a hazard. It would serve people better if they learned simple rules of situational appropriateness, not of rigid adherence. #swimming
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choufleur
10/21/09

@hydrogen_jukebox: Japan isn't the US though. Different cultural background. #swimming
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hydrogen_jukebox
10/21/09

@choufleur: This is true. #swimming
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SUNNY1
10/21/09

In reply to Lots Of Ways For Japan's Swimmers To Get In Hot Water
I don't really get the hair ban and nail polish ban. The earrings I've heard are a safety hazard, but who really sees your hair and nails when you're in the water? Your hair's all covered by the swim cap, no? #swimming
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girlfriend 6.0
10/21/09

@SUNNY1: I thought nail polish in at least HS level sports (I've heard it in the context of cheerleading/gymnastics) was because if someone passes out, coaches/medics can check fingernails to see if they are turning blue (which I imagine is lack of oxygen making its way through the body).

Can anyone confirm/ deny this? #swimming
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Sputnik_Sweetheart
10/21/09

@girlfriend 6.0: I think it is more about Japanese standards, honestly. Many in Japan see nail polish as unprofessional. #swimming
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girlfriend 6.0
10/21/09

@Sputnik_Sweetheart: I understand that much, but the nailpolish thing can work on another level in other, non-Japanese standards. :-) #swimming
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ncccgirl
10/21/09

In reply to Lots Of Ways For Japan's Swimmers To Get In Hot Water
I dyed my hair purple in high school. The J.V. coach sang that sesame street song, "one of these things is not like the others" and my varsity volleyball coach said I couldn't play until I dyed it back. I argued and waited it out, because we didn't have any rules against "non-naturally" occuring hair colors. [That was what AmeriCorps came up with to make me get rid of my blue and green dreads] Anywho... I played, with purple hair and my serve was still awsome. who'da thunk it, appearance does not affect performance. #swimming
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pear.shaped.Sara
10/21/09

@ncccgirl: I dyed my hair fuscia while I was on my college dance team. There were no rules on the books regarding hair/appearance when I signed on for my 3rd year, but they bullied and intimidated me about it so much that I quit over it even though it broke my heart. I felt it was discriminatory and unfair for them to try and pull a fast one by amending the team's bylaws mid-year. The one blonde girl stood out, the one Hispanic girl stood out, the one big breasted girl stood out... we only danced at home games where all the students knew us. If we were a competitive team I wouldn't have done it, but we weren't. They didn't say anything about my bleach blonde being "unnatural". Fuckers. That still pisses me the hell off. #swimming
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evilqueenmagda
10/21/09

In reply to Lots Of Ways For Japan's Swimmers To Get In Hot Water
The earring thing was as safety issue on my high school/college teams. They didn't want anyone leaving an earlobe on the lane dividers. #swimming
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TRexstasy
10/21/09

In reply to Lots Of Ways For Japan's Swimmers To Get In Hot Water
But who doesn't want to root for the rebel?

I didn't realize quite how "Western" that sentiment was until I went to Japan in 2001. They have a saying, "The nail that sticks out gets hammered in." And they're pretty damn serious about that. #swimming
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Mireille is German for the Bart, the.
10/21/09

@TRexstasy: Yes, that is exactly what my Japanese language teacher told us and he was Japanese. Japan and America have very different ideas about being part of the time vs expressing yourself. #swimming
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applejuice
10/21/09

In reply to Lots Of Ways For Japan's Swimmers To Get In Hot Water
When I was in high school a couple kids on our swim tea had tatoos (Our senior year, when they were 18), but it was against our district/state rules. They weren't allowed to compete with it showing, but no lifetime ban! They had to tape/bandaged over it for meets. (And one kid had this huge ass thing across half his back, he looked like he'd had a gunshot wound or something!) #swimming
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lilad
07/06/09

In reply to For 17% Of Americans, The Public Pool Is A Urination Station
isn't urine sanitary...?
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SharonTaint
07/06/09

In reply to For 17% Of Americans, The Public Pool Is A Urination Station
I will never understand the appeal of public pools. Reminds me of a line from "Little Britain:" "If you'd like to get a wart, visit one of our many public pools!"
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Liz11685
07/06/09

In reply to For 17% Of Americans, The Public Pool Is A Urination Station
Seriously: 17% of people pee in swimming pools and 83% lie. Everyone has done it at least once and I'm guessing most still do. There is nothing gross about most urine, and with all the chlorine kills whatever could be gross about it to begin with. I've been in swimming pools since I was 3 months old and I probably couldn't count how many times I've peed in the water- less now I'm older, sure, but if it comes up, why inconvenience myself?
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MeganGlass 就是一个古代的三明治
07/05/09

In reply to For 17% Of Americans, The Public Pool Is A Urination Station
OK, so when I was little I had to take swimming lessons at the YMCA and one day I was treading water and decided I needed to pee, so I did. As I was peeing, another kid swam by, underwater, almost bumping into my crotchal region. Then he came up out of the water and said "hey Meg, guess what? That was the first time I opened my eyes underwater!"

I revel in my pool peeing to this day.
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momentsofabsurdity
07/05/09

In reply to For 17% Of Americans, The Public Pool Is A Urination Station
I don't pee in the shower. I will jump out, sit on the toilet soaking wet, pee, then get back in. I've never peed in the ocean and MAYBE in a public swimming pool when I was very young, but I don't remember it. It just grosses me out, which I guess is weird.

I did, however, have a pool water swallowing contest with my cousin when I was 8 that I'm not feeling too good about right now.
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