Sparkle police

So, uh, my coach suggested I do the April basic skills competition down in Franklin. Ummmm. Not so sure about that. I could do the event where you just do the skills from your level in isolation, I suppose. That wouldn't be too scary. If it's anything like the competition today, I'd be competing against myself or against one of the people I skated with in the show, because the kids definitely outnumber the adults.

I think mostly I just don't want to wear a damn skating dress. USFSA, under the aegis of which this competition will be, doesn't require that adult women wear skirts for testing anymore, but I'm not sure about competitions. They specifically ban warm up jackets and pants, alas. Maybe a really nice sweater and men's skating pants? I like pretty cotton or poly-blend dresses that are appropriate for work, but lycra or stretch velvet and sparkles with a skirt that barely reaches past my hips is just not a good look on me, and I want to avoid it. (Also to stay warm, dear lord. The kids at the competition today all had bare arms, and they looked like they were freezing. And I know from experience that tights are NOT WARM.) Bee tee dubs, makeup and elaborate hair are just not ever going to happen, ever.

...I picked the wrong sport, didn't I?

Seriously, though, fuck the sparkle police. If sparkles make you happy, then whatever, but making it an expectation for all of us is not okay. Something close-fitting enough to see and judge body line, fine, but freezing my ass off for someone else's all too rigidly gendered idea of fashion is not going to happen.

...I have more feelings about this than I thought.

(But really, screw sparkles. I see the appeal of wearing costumes that work with program's story or music, but for everything else I feel like the bling marginalizes the work that goes into this activity. I want to look and feel powerful and in control when I do this. The men get to. Women shouldn't have to look pretty on top of looking competent, at least not if they don't want to.)