Minister for Sport's opinion about women's sports.. gah

In that telegraph article she (it?) seems to imply that you can do cheerleading, ballet, gymastics without working up a sweat.

That's nonsense surely? And if you aren't getting sweaty then it's not great exercise surely?

Maybe she looks at the people on the telly who've been doing it for years and are like the most super-athletic people they are and thinking "oh well they don't look sweaty, obviously this is a sport you can do vigorously and not sweat". I am utterly TBH.

I think her message got distorted with her comments about women and saying they shouldn't worry about not looking unfeminine as they can look feminine.

"You don’t have to feel unfeminine,” stresses Ms Grant. “There are some wonderful sports which you can do and perform to a very high level and I think those participating look absolutely radiant and very feminine such as ballet, gymnastics, cheerleading and even roller-skating.”"

www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-health/10636527/Sochi-2014-Give-British-women-the-sport-they-want-even-if-its-more-Zumba.html

scallops who cares why the sport was developed?

There's nothing wrong with cheerleading. It is a serious, viable, competitive sport where women become fit and it, along with any other sport, should be encouraged.

Telling women their sport isn't good enough as it was only designed for the benefit of men is demeaning and patronising.

I need an emoticon for snort. Does the woman not understand how strong a female gymnast is, how dangerous the sport is - try landing on your back on a balance beam and see what happens to you. You don't choose gymnastics to look glamorous or you could end up with a broken neck.

Critiquing a sport that was designed for the benefit of men is not as degrading as objectifying women.

Perhaps if women weren't subjected to objectification then more of them would be interested in sport. Grant is tweaking with the symptoms not the cause of the issue.

Actually, telling woman that their chosen field of athleticism isn't enough of a 'sport' for you, is just as degrading as saying women should look 'radiant'.

First of all, this woman is an absolute idiot and it is embarrassing and shameful that she is a minister for equality and clearly knows nothing about equality.

However, cheerleading IS a sport, those women are fit, strong, dedicated and extremely committed. Dismissing their discipline is as offensive as this woman's comments.

The thing is that competitive cheerleading is not standing on the sidelines cheering on the Jocks, it's more like gymnastics/dance.

Cheerleading???

Im not american but if i lived there id say go play ANY sport yourself firsthand before u stand on the sidelines cheering on the men. Im sure there is skill to it but that's not the point.

I just came here to see if anyone had posted about this.

There was a good piece somewhere that the theory behind encouraging women/girls into sport is good and understanding the barriers to taking it up but the way she's gone about it is so wrong on so many levels.

On the other hand I have a daughter who has been involved in Cheerleading and it is actually hard work involving athleticism, strength and hard work, not just wearing skimpy outfits and big hair bows. And ballet is obviously not just floating around in a tutu looking glamarous etc etc

I think she's been very naive in her positioning.

She's trying to suggest that some sports put women off so do something else but has made her comment seem incredibly patronising.

Where's Malcolm Tucker?

She really does play to a lot of stereotypes in that article. Suggesting cheerleading as a sport smacks of women being seen as decorative whilst men get on with actually doing something.