This month, for the first time, men participated in the Junior Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships (you can watch their routines in the video below). Irina Viner has been championing the dev…
Get ready for some excerpts
For Viner, the development of men’s rhythmic gymnastics is likely the way to save RG as an Olympic sport. The IOC is trying to achieve gender parity at the Games and they are unlikely to allow a sport that is available to only one gender to be a part of the Games for much longer.
“Because people have a very interesting flow of associations, they immediately imagine men in leotards doing women’s elements. That is also being done – by the Spanish school. They even wrote to me: “You know, it’s us who’s doing rhythmic gymnastics, while you’re doing something else”. I think that from the physiological point of view, men can’t compete against women. It would be like watching a boxing match between a man and a woman – you know who’s going to win, right? Girls are more flexible but men are stronger and have more endurance. They can’t compete against each other and judging of that can’t be objective. But there is another school [of men’s rhythmic gymnastics] – the Japanese one. That’s where men’s rhythmic gymnastics originated.”
“But the Spanish just copied what the girls had. I won’t say anything that’s not politically correct about this but after the Spanish [started their sport], the attitudes towards rhythmic gymnastics became polarized. Some are saying “actually, that’s really cool that boys are doing the same thing as girls and look like girls”. And some say the opposite: “Ew, it’s gross”. So, there it is. Even in our country, many did not understand that we’re supporting the Japanese initiative because it’s the one that reflects characteristics of men’s physiology – strength, endurance, coordination, and power.”
“How can I say something [about the Spanish]? What they do is difficult. But if we’re judging objectively, their version of rhythmic gymnastics goes against the physical capabilities of boys and men. It’s as if an elephant felt he was a sparrow; this can also seem not politically correct. But they’re forcing themselves to do things that are natural for female bodies. Perhaps, it’s sexism and someone will accuse me of it but I think that in every sport – and you can even see it in the Olympic rules – men should not compete with women.”
“First, it’s the Russian culture – here, people just won’t accept it. Second, it’s wrong in terms of the physiology, a guy should grow strong according to his nature and the Spanish version of rhythmic gymnastics won’t allow it.”
*DEEP BREATH* Where to even begin...
"iF mEn dO fLeXiBiLiTy ThEy gO aGaiNsT tHeiR nAtUrE" yeah, like women are just ~naturally~ meant to bend their spines so that their head touches their butt. Just admit you're a misogynist that can't do a penché pivot or a split leap with back bend dude
It’s so infuriating that they're using japanese men’s “RG” as a cover for "oh yes we’re adding men to RG ;)" except it's not actual RG ;) have fun tumbling with rope ;) no pirouettes for you boys ;)
I don’t mind what the japanese are doing on its own it's such a hybrid discipline and if it becomes The Official Men's RG, the spanish men etc. are gonna end up even more niche and unknown and it's going to be yet another barrier against boys that would want to do actual pure RG :(
It must be so upsetting for russian boys i sometimes see on instagram explore doing all sorts of apparatus work and even some flexibility elements. If they could have access to the coaches, choreographers, they’d be rivaling the spanish in no time since it’s a matter of life and death for russia to win
Even if they're against men doing the exact elements the women do, the ballet point should be an idea worth pressing forward, keep the women's apparatuses and add jumps like male ballet dancers do to the code, add pairs if you must (I’d actually be interested in a RG pas de deux - i wonder if acro gymnasts would be happy about them doing lifts too though ahahha)
GAH im getting more and more annoyed the more i think, things will be stuck in this dead end of this new discipline that neither this nor that and i fear it will make it even more difficult to change once it’s cemented itself as men’s RG even if it’s! not! what’s! actually! been! called! RG! for! decades!
