Comedian Shane Gillis faced swift backlash this week after his SNL opening monologue included a crude remark about women’s gym attire. “I haven’t been to the gym in so long I didn’t know women just dress like whores now,” he said, drawing criticism from celebrities and audiences alike for the misogynistic framing. As Cyd Zeigler reported for Outsports, the joke sparked a broader conversation about gendered expectations around athletic wear.
Chase Lathrop, a sophomore decathlete at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, offered a pointed rebuttal on Instagram this week. In a video showing him pole vaulting and hurdling in notably short shorts, Lathrop posed a simple question: “Hey Shane, I wear shorter shorts than every girl I know, so what does that make me?” The response highlights a persistent double standard: men in minimal athletic gear are celebrated as athletes, while women in the same clothing face moral judgment.
Short shorts are standard in track and field for both men and women, designed for performance and mobility. Yet Gillis’s joke rested on the assumption that women’s choice to wear them warranted ridicule. Lathrop’s response underscores that clothing choices reflect sport requirements and personal preference—not character. The distinction between how male and female athletes are perceived for wearing identical gear remains a telling measure of how far gendered expectations still reach.
This isn’t Gillis’s first controversy. Last year, while hosting the ESPYs, he made an inappropriate joke about NBA player Karl-Anthony Towns. His pattern of pushing boundaries with jokes that rely on stereotypes continues to draw criticism from those who see little comedic merit in the approach.
Read the full reporting and context at https://www.outsports.com/2026/10/15/24145318/shane-gillis-mocked-womens-gym-shorts-this-college-decathlete-responded-with-even-shorter-ones/
Entertainment with an edge
Whether you’re into indie comics, groundbreaking music, or queer cinema, we’re here to keep you in the loop.
Sign up for the INTO newsletter and get your twice-weekly dose of stories that shape the queer experience, culture, and lifestyle.
