to ask for your opinion on an argument

[slightlymad72]

that is going on in my house between 2 teenagers (19)

My DD and her boyfriend are discussing (loudly) discrimination in sports.

Her argument is that if a woman is good enough to complete alongside men then she should be allowed to and not be discriminated against because of her gender.

His argument is there are seperate men and women teams because the men would have an unfair advantage, so in order for women to have a chance of winning they must compete against their own sex. This cannot be classed as discrimination because the men aren't being mean about it.

AIBU to ask the MN jury for their judgment and then I can bash either/both around the head with it and put a stop to the argument before something decent comes on the telly.

(by the way I support DD, especially when the 'its not discrimination because they are not being mean' argument raised its head)

[Birdsgottafly]

Gnome; endurance and dexterity is needed in pole dancing and gymnastics. It is a shame that pole dancing is seen as sexual, because the female champian poledancers are amazing and are athletes, in the true sense of the word.

[Birdsgottafly]

I have also read research which has supported the theory that women are now evolving at a much faster rate than men.

One of the reasons stated is that nutrition is improving for young girls and women aren't over reproducing. It was unnaturally slowed down for females.

In primitive tribes there wasn't that much difference in strength and hunting ability etc. Women would go into battle alongside men.

[GnomeDePlume]

Nancy75 my point was that what we consider to be sports are essentially focussed on things which men will be good at (strength, running over short distances etc). Surprise, surprise, men are best at these.

Introduce different tests (eg extended endurance, dexterity etc) and the result might be different.

[Serenitysutton]

Fair enough. You can think whatever you please. I did read a fascinating running book dedicated to this very subject whilst marathon training and that was the outcome of the research undertaken for that.

[cantspel]

no we wont evolve at the same rate but both men and women will continue to evolve and i dont think we will ever level out. (well i hope bloody not as my legs are hairy enough as it is and i dont even want to think about chin hair)

[Serenitysutton]

No, it's not that simple. Things don't evolve at the same rate.

[cantspel]

wrong because as women potentially spend the next 100 years catching up with men. Men's bodies will also continue to evolve. They wont stop still and women just play catch up.

[Serenitysutton]

There are sports where there is no reason for a difference in ability- motor racing for example- that makes me mad.

However, did you know the only reason men are faster is because they have been competing longer so their bodies are slightly more evolved to be faster? Women are catching up, we've been competing professionally for only about 100 years but are making huge progress on the catch up. Potentially in another hundred womens bodies will have caught up with mens.

[nancy75]

GnomeDePlume - the fastes male marathon runner is 12 minutes faster than the fastest woman - I don't think many people male or female would want to enter a 200km (124mile) race

[GnomeDePlume]

Some time ago I heard an interesting piece on the wireless by a doctor talking about iron man type competitions. His opinion was that the problem was that women have less speed/strength but greater endurance. He described iron man competitions where all the men would set off at great speed leaving the women competitors far behind but towards the end of the race would hear a steady 'pit pat, pit pat' as the women would start to past all the men.

Essentially tortoise and hare

Women cant compete in the sports which exist currently because they have been designed by blokes for blokes. The fastest over 100 metres is great for men. Try 'who's the fastest over 200km?'. The result might be different.

[nancy75]

women would be hard pushed to reach the top in any sport, the fastest man is a second faster than the fastest woman in 100metres, and 12 minutes faster in the marathon.

[GnomeDePlume]

I think that where there is no genuine reason why both sexes should compete together then segregation is a total nonsense:

• darts
  
• snooker
  
• junior football (the early age at which segregation is introduced is IMO a disgrace and evidence of a latent misogyny)
  
  Sports like eventing and showjumping have been mixed for a long time if not always - possibly because the horse does the heavy work!
  
  Korfbal and netball can both be played mixed (and are).

[ChippingIn]

Maybe just drip feed one point at a time

[nancy75]

izzywhizzyletsgetbusy - games at wimbledon are segregated because all of the women would be out in the first round - even the top 5 women players stand no chance of winning against the top 50/100 men

[izzywhizzyletsgetbusy]

'women only be required'

please amend to
'women should only be required'

[GetAwayFromHerYouBitch]

thankyou Jodie

[izzywhizzyletsgetbusy]

As Wimbledon pay women players the same rate as their male counterparts I see no reason why games should be segregated, and I also see no reason why women only be required to play 3 sets.

[PrincessFiorimonde]

Interesting points made by Yama ('I think the very top end of each sport would be male but the rest would be a mixture of male and female') and by plupervert ('One argument often made is that if "top" women were competing with the men, it would cream them off and weaken women's sport as a whole').

Note that men and women do compete on equal terms in equestrian events - have been side-by-side in show-jumping, etc. for many years.

[slightlymad72]

I think DD's boyfriend is going to get a roasting, maybe I shouldn't show this thread to DD, there is too much ammo for her to use and for him to deal with.

[plupervert]

One argument often made is that if "top" women were competing with the men, it would cream them off and weaken women's sport as a whole.

[defrocked]

sport should be banned, full stop :)

[jazzchickens]

Personally, I think there should be more mixed sports. Both men & women come in different shapes & sizes and either sex could have an advantage.

DS2 is small for his age and you would not necessarily consider him to be a good contender for basketball. But, by god, is he nippy and he can run rings around a lot of the players

[JodieHarsh]

I am just popping to agree with GetAwayFromHer and approve of her Alien-based nickname