The organizing committee of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games has presented the mascot of the upcoming international competition, leaving the audience speechless. As stated in the presentation, they decided to step away from the usual practice of choosing an animal character and create something that ’embodies the French spirit in a new way’. That is why they chose a round, conical Phrygian cap, an international symbol of freedom worn by freed Roman slaves, which appears on emblems in North and South America, but is also a trademark of the French Revolution. However, despite the committee’s intention to teach the audience something about history, they are almost unanimous in the view that the mascot, Pryges, resembles a clitoris.
Two daring heroes
Some media pointed out the similarity of the mascot to a red inflatable clitoris that a feminist group set up in Paris during last year’s International Women’s Day celebration, and some social media users (especially women) celebrate the fact that the ignorant will finally learn what that ‘mysterious’ female organ actually looks like. However, the audience does not hold this similarity against them (the only difference is, according to them, that Pryges wears sneakers), on the contrary, they find it hilariously entertaining.
The committee, announcing something new and unseen, truly fulfilled its promise and presented something that actually embodies the French spirit and celebrates life. The creators of the Paris mascot did not comment on the similarity but stated that Phryges has a mission to show the world that sport can change everything and deserves a leading place in society. One ‘hero Phryges’ represents the Olympic Games and is described as a practical and charming character, while the Paralympic one, with a running prosthesis, is fun and fearless.
