BBC sexism?

[fluffywhitekittens]

www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/11379420/BBC-sexism-I-was-rejected-for-a-reality-show-because-Im-a-woman.html

The Feminist haters are out in force in the comments section...

I'm fairly certain that the BBC site initially made no reference to Men only but has amended the page so now states that they're looking for tough men.

[SardineQueen]

Well if they didn't specify that it was men only then I'm not surprised she's pissed off. They asked for tough strong people who like physical challenges to apply, she spent time and effort doing so, thinking "well that sounds like me", only to be told that it never meant her.

They should have made it clear from the start that only men need apply and then she needn't have wasted her time.

I do agree with her though generally that if women are never represented in the mainstream as being able to do stuff - as being tough and strong and enjoying physical challenges - then there's no precedent in general women's heads that this stuff is an option for them IYSWIM.

[AICM]

According to the Telegraph the show specifically explained it was, and I quote, "looking for the toughest men in the country".

The show is trying to replicate the selection process for the SAS.

[TywysogesGymraeg]

I don't understand how the BBC are not breaking the law by stipulating "men only". Can anyone explain?

[SardineQueen]

Because it's not to do with a supply of goods or services, or a job, I imagine. The law doesn't apply to everything ever it's specific stuff.

[PuffinsAreFictitious]

The show might be trying to replicate the selection process for SF within the British military, however, I doubt it's going to include a lot of the selection criteria, so why does it have to retain the sex bar to women?

[BlameItOnTheBogey]

I just don't get why you would exclude women. I don't buy the crap about replicating the SF - as puffins says, it won't be an exact replica anyway. Why not give a woman a shot. She will either meet the standard, in which case great she can compete. Or not, in which case you don't include her. It's not like she is asking for special dispensation, just an equal chance to compete.

[LumpySpacedPrincess]

I read the comments and now I have to go and clean my brain.

[PuffinsAreFictitious]

Never, ever, ever read the comments. Ever.

They are words to live by.

[SardineQueen]

lol yeah comments = aarrrrgh

They don't want women in it as it's a prog about tough men being tough and manly.

Thinking about it, in the 80s, there were a lot of shows with physical challenges, and men and women competed side by side. Does that sort of thing go on any more? Not talking about sas stuff but, I don't know, gameshow type things. I don't watch ITV on a sat night these days so not got my finger on the pulse really

[SardineQueen]

Strictly has male and female competitors doesn't it and there's no problem with that despite dancing being considered "feminine".

Maybe it's just a matter of time.

Or is it that while things like dancing weren't done on TV by men it wasn't because they weren't considered able to do it. So it's not quite the same.

[msrisotto]

The BBC are such twats, honestly. There is no reason to exclude women from this, so why are they doing it? Because they're twats. And the comments...ergh...disgusting.

[EBearhug]

I wonder what their diversity and inclusion manager thinks? I know that's more to do with staff rather than programmes, but I can't believe they don't think that the programming output doesn't affect the view of the whole organisation. Because it does.

[fluffywhitekittens]

So, looks like the BBC has changed their mind and will now consider females for the program....

[slightlyglitterstained]

They've probably been slapped around the head and told "you idiots! Of course you need a woman in there. Bit of tension, amp up the pressure on the guys, ask 'em how they feel about the threat of being beaten by a woman. It's good tv. "

[Childrenofthestones]

In the 80s, do you mean individuals and not teams ?
What shows were they?

[AKnickerfulOfMenace]

Here's one

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Krypton_Factor

[Dotheyfloat]

With regards to program concepts the BBC shouldn't touch SF 'real as possible' selection processes with a barge pole. If they water them down to the point where women can reasonably compete it'll be a joke, if they don't water down the selection process there will be cries of 'unfair male bias' when all the women get knocked out in the early stages and/or stand zero of making it through.

Serve them right for not having the backbone to say 'men only'.

[PuffinsAreFictitious]

So, DTF, do you think they'll be using a majority or just a selection of the selection criteria for SF? Which SF do you think they'll be choosing from? In what way will they be watering down the ones they leave in, do you think?

[Dotheyfloat]

"But just after completing her form, Sophie was contacted by a spokesperson from ‘Team World’s Toughest Army’ who informed her that ‘in keeping with the selection criteria of the special forces’ the application process was open only to men. "

Presumably they were modelling the show on an SAS or Delta Force type selection process, i.e. ones that have a 90%+ fail rate for soldiers who are already mentally and physically combat-ready. The chances of a fit male civilian applicant passing those sort of selection processes are probably significantly less than 1%. The rate for women would of course be lower still, primarily due to the physical demands. A truly 'real as possible' TV format would result in most, perhaps all, of the applicants keeling over in the first week.

I'm not going to nitpick over what the BBC may-or-may-not do, as I said, the whole 'real as possible' concept should be avoided.

[PuffinsAreFictitious]

I'm not going to nitpick over what the BBC may-or-may-not do, as I said, the whole 'real as possible' concept should be avoided.

And I don't. What would I know though?

[Dotheyfloat]

I think you're trying make some kind of point, but I'm not sure what it is.

[AKnickerfulOfMenace]

Hello again Dothey

[Dotheyfloat]

Good afternoon, AKOM.

[wyomingisnotacountry]

The SF selection process is incredibly tough, only 10% or less make it and that's from men who are already far tougher than your average Joe on the street. This is part of the SAS trial :

''The final 40-mile march is named Endurance with good reason.

It must be completed within 20 hours without stopping while carrying a 60lb rucksack, a rifle and full water bottle.

At the end candidates should still be able to run four miles in 30 minutes.''

So that's 75lbs or so total. For 40 miles. Then the 4 mile run. And what if they do hand to hand combat as well? Who wants to see a 6'2'' 230lbs guy put a choke hold on a woman? He could snap her neck without even trying . No way. This whole thing is lose/lose for BBC. It's like putting a woman in the 100m or the weightlifting final, she'd finish miles behind the last man. We have gender segregated sports for a reason. Check even junior male sports record and they will far better than adult women's. Or your local amateur athletics club, there are men doing it as a hobby who would've won gold in the women's competitions at the last olympics.

[wyomingisnotacountry]

I mean what would be the point of it? To see her beaten by miles? Humiliated? Physically hurt by men twice her size? And this isn't even going into women being far more exposed to injury than men because of lower bone density, weaker tendons, ligaments and so on.. I remember the outrage about the trans fighter who was beating up women, this would be 10 times more unfair.