Paris Olympics mascot sparks unlikely period discussion on TikTok
19 July 2024 18:41
The official mascots for the Paris Olympics are red Phrygian caps. A certain TikTok user has made many people associate them with menstruation.
The Summer Olympics in Paris begin at 00:00 on 24 July. They will last until 23:59 on 11 August. Like every Olympics since the Los Angeles Games 1932, this year's Games also have a mascot. The Paris 2024 mascot is the Olympic Phryge. The design is based on traditional red Phrygian caps. This headgear, known since ancient times, was popularised by revolutionary movements in the late 18th and early 19th centuries as a symbol of freedom.
Does the Paris Olympics mascot look like a period?
A TikTok user from New York, Andrea Lizcano, visited a store with Olympic merchandise and had completely different associations. She wrote, "Why does the Olympic mascot look like my period came to Paris?" She commented on rubber keychains depicting Phryge with various facial expressions: "My different emotions during my period." Her short video went viral.
People in the comments received Lizcano's recording with amusement. Many people laughed that they can't "unsee" her association. "I see this for the first time. Thanks. Now I will only think about this because the association is very accurate," writes one of the internet users. "My parents bought my son a plush toy when they were there two weeks ago, and now I can't look at it the same way," adds another. Indeed, the bright red colour and shape reminiscent of a uterus could just as well be used, for example, in a campaign normalising open communication about menstruation.
Why was the Phrygian cap chosen as the mascot of the Paris Olympics
Other people tried to steer the conversation and associations in the right direction. Comments emerged: "For those wondering, this is a Phrygian cap (bonnet rouge). It was a revolutionary French symbol worn by Marianne, the national personification of the French Republic." One response was: "I respect that, but that's not the vibe this merch gives."
On the official website of the Paris Olympics, the choice of Phryges as mascots is justified: "The Phrygian caps the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic mascots are based on have been a symbol of freedom throughout French history. They are a common reference for French people, including in the world of art (as a metaphor for freedom) and as a symbol of the Republic in French institutions. Phrygian caps can be seen sat atop the head of the iconic figure Marianne in every town hall and even feature on everyday objects in France such as coins and stamps."
