I’m not 100% sure that I want to rock this boat at the moment, but I’m getting a little perturbed by the comments on the “Girls Can’t Play Football” thread. The discussion was quite peaceful until a Mr. “Truth Hurts” showed up and decided to say that women will always be inferior to men and that there will be some things that women just can’t do. I rolled my eyes and blew it off as male chauvinism at first, but he persisted in arguing with me. It got ugly and personal and downright ridiculous if you ask me. I kindly called for a truce, figuring that we were just going to have to disagree on this one but now someone else has joined in and picked up the flag waving for the men. You can read the discussion for yourself and decide, but I still think it’s a bogus statement to say that men will always be better in athletics than women.
I am not here to argue that women are as strong physically as men – that is a no-brainer. We are built differently and for different purposes. For the most part, men will be stronger and faster than women most of the time. Notice my word choices here – I said “most of the time” not “always”. I am not deluded nor do I live in a “fantasy world” when I say that is entirely possible that somewhere out there is a woman who CAN beat the top male athlete in whatever sport you choose. Just because it hasn’t been done yet does not mean women are incapable of doing it. I am so tired of being limited by the words of men.
Case in point – running. To say that a woman will never be able to outrun a man is ludicrous and here is my argument, which went unnoticed in the original discussion. A few decades ago it was thought that no one – meaning no MAN or WOMAN could run a mile in under 4 minutes. I believe it was Roger Bannister who broke that record and within months, several other people were breaking the same limit. It only took one person to prove it could be done and now both men and WOMEN can break the 4 minute mile. Mr. Truth Hurts insists that women will never be able to catch up to the fastest men’s time. Men will always be faster. I disagree.
I grew up playing sports, making the boys basketball team in the 6th grade and playing on all-boys little league teams. Girls sports are highly underrepresented and unsupported. Girls who dream of a career in athletics are typically talked out of it quickly by “sensible” adults. I firmly believe that some of the best women athletes in the world were diverted from sports and are now working desk jobs somewhere because that is the “sensible” thing to do. By the time a girl reaches adulthood, if she is still interested in sports, she better be something really special and have a truckload of sponsors if she plans on getting anywhere near the pros and still have enough money to buy toilet paper. Perhaps if women’s sports were equally supported and funded we might see a lot more women in sports and the competitive “gap” between men and women would be a lot smaller.
Then there is the issue of child bearing. Athletes in their “prime” are typically in their 20’s and 30’s. What do most women choose to do at this age? They choose to have children, which removes them from the athletic realm for a few years. This means that a woman who COULD be the one to break the 4 minute mile has chosen to remove herself from the track to raise a family. Men have the luxury of continuing their athletic career while fathering children. Women do not.
I am not arguing that women should compete with men, nor am I arguing that women are equal to men in their physical abilities. What I am saying – and read this carefully – is that it IS possible for a woman to be the top athlete in any sport at any given time.
I realize the discussion that follows this post may get heated. Bring it on. >:/
4 comments
gretchen
Ladies – thank you for your support. I knew I wasn’t alone in this battle. However, I anticipate the opposition to arrive at any moment… :-w
Kel1
Well, I went back and read Mr. Fan’s comments, and what struck me was the fact that he alludes to the idea that he isn’t a chauvinist, but then at the end shoots himself in the foot by saying that he’d watch mudwrestling. *rolls eyes* These guys apparently think that the mud pit is where women belong…once again, for their own “viewing pleasure.”
I will stop now and restrain myself so you don’t have to edit me. :D
Karen
Some men are (something) more than some women, and some women are more (something) than some men. You just don’t know.
I’m 53 and female, and workout with the 20 and 30 year old males in my martial arts classes. They have trouble keeping up with me. Or, as one of my teachers used to say, “Let Karen show you how a girl hits.” He was the same teacher who would have me demonstrate things on the visiting police trainees.
When I started, it would have been a loss to have said, “Aw, little lady, you ought to take up tennis because you are a woman and you just can’t do martial arts the right way.”
Another thing: for every ‘man’ who is the top athlete in any sport, there are plenty of men who are not the top athlete. But no one tells them they shouldn’t participate. Plenty of basketball, tennis, golf, and other sports leagues exist for men who know they are never going to be top athletes.
The world is a tough place, regardless of your gender. Let’s not make it tougher on each other.
Beth
You know. That was an ignorant statement of his. It’s like comparing apples to oranges if you will. You cannot compare women in athletics to men. Like you said, we are different and made for different purposes. We are different. That does not make one better than the other. And that what a stupid male dominated society continues to push not only on it’s men, but the women too. It’s another bogus way for men to stay in control…continue to beat down the weak. But who’s weak? Women aren’t weak. Do I need to list it all out in ways we are superior? No. Because we are different. Not one gender is better than the other because we are different. Have I said different enough? Geez…he needs to get with the current century.