To wonder why Cambridge have a man coxing their women's boat race crew?

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Matthew Holland apparently decided to join the women's crew because he thought they had a better chance of beating Oxford than the men.

Obviously he is not rowing - all the power is being provided by the women who are rowing - but is it right that he has taken a place that could have been taken by a female cox?

[MargotLovedTom1]

Haven't male rowing teams had female coxes?

[ChillieJeanie]

Yes, women have coxed the men's crews. It's fine.

[GoodyGoodyGumdrops]

You sometimes have a female cox in a men's crew. I don't know how common that is, though.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

Yup. 1981 first female cox of the Oxford male team.

Not sure what I think about the glory hound wanting to only cox a winning team but I like that that he appears to have no issue with women's sports.

[ClaudiaWankleman]

Surely the women on the team also thought he was the best cox that they could get, and were happy? Ultimately it was their decision in how to get the best chance to win too, wasn't it?

[lokisglowstickofdestiny1]

First female cox in men's race was in 1981. I don't think it matters.

[PigletWasPoohsFriend]

Haven't male rowing teams had female coxes?

Yep

[CMOTDibbler]

You often have a female cox in a mens crew - its hard to get men small and light enough for it. It's never been an issue for opposite gender crew/cox combos

[ChillieJeanie]

A woman was coxing Oxford's reserve men's boat this year. She potentially could be coxing the blue boat next year.

[PurpleDaisies]

I don't think the sex of the cox has had to match the crew in the boat race-it certainly didn't in the informal rowing competitions I've seen.

If a someone with XY chromosomes were rowing as part of the women's crew I'd be annoyed about that but to me the cox has always been a unisex role. If someone has specialist rowing knowledge I'm happy to be corrected.

[MissClimpsonsTypingBureau]

You often have women coxing men's teams - in fact most coxes tend to be women (as what you're after in a cox is someone small and light).

[MissClimpsonsTypingBureau]

Sorry for many cross posts!

[AHedgehogCanNeverBeBuggered]

It's common for coxes to cox boats of the opposite gender. Definitely not out of the ordinary.

[EweAreHere]

They're looking for someone good, light and experienced, end of.

Women frequently serve as coxes on men's teams as well.

[Northernlurker]

He did a good job. That was what he was there for.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

OK - that does all make sense.

Moving on - what a horrible experience for the Oxford women - to have everything go so wrong right at the start. Heartbreaking for them.

[VladmirsPoutine]

What is coxing?

[MrsDesireeCarthorse]

Matthew Holland apparently decided to join the women's crew

Why is this phrased as though the women had no input?

is it right that he has taken a place that could have been taken by a female cox?

Yes, because a) women have taken places that could have had a male cox and b) he was the preferred candidate regardless of his genitals.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Yes it was totally fine to have a male cox.

That poor girl, I hope they all look after her. Doubt they feel like it now, but I'm sure they will.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

MrsDesiree - I used the phrase '...decided to join the women's crew...' because that is what he himself said in an interview.

[ChillieJeanie]

It was an awful start for Oxford. There's just no coming back from that. Such a shame.

[Altimate]

It's only in Internationals that boats must have a Cox of the same gender as the crew.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Thank you Altimate.

[JoinTheMicrodots]

Very common to have opposite sex coxes in rowing.

Vladimir the cox is the one who sits in the end of the boat, steers it and tells the crew what to do.

Ah, how I loved coxing men's eights. 8 big, sweating, brawny blokes under my control. Those were the days when I was half the weight I am now.

[britbat23]

So now even rowing boats are not safe spaces for women