Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think this is unacceptable

353 replies

mileend2bermondsey · 22/11/2015 20:32

Just found out that in my hometown high school PE activities are still split by gender. The boys do football and rugby, the girls do netball and hockey. When the girls do dance, the boys do tennis. I cant believe this seperation is still going on without question.

Apparantly if a child 'kicks up a fuss' about wanting to do a sport of the opposite gender they will be allowed to do it but would be the only boy or girl in the class, hence hardly any do.

I think this is outrageous, all children should be taught all sports available as standard. Why is a seperation based on gender neccessary, and why is this still going on?

OP posts:
pinotblush · 22/11/2015 22:12

So what are you pushing for then OP.. For girls to play boys sport? It should be mixed then. You can't ask for one without the other surely? Then that in itself is sexist.

Original poster
mileend2bermondsey · 22/11/2015 22:14

Brand

Sorry no it isnt, not at all. Im talking about why should girls and boys be seperated into different sports based on sex. Maybe you should learn to read

OP posts:
Original poster
mileend2bermondsey · 22/11/2015 22:16

pinot theres no point in trying to have a discussion with you when you dont understand there are no such things as 'boys sports' and 'girls sports'

OP posts:
pinotblush · 22/11/2015 22:16

Lets take the WI then, should men be allowed? Should this be shut down due to sexism?
We ARE different. It's a great thing. Equality is not about this.

EvansOvalPiesYumYum · 22/11/2015 22:16

For girls to play boys sport

Oh, Pinot! What determines 'boys sport'? Could you provide a list?

Original poster
mileend2bermondsey · 22/11/2015 22:17

But, yes, it could be read that why are girls only allowed to participate in one sport and boys participate in another. ie, split into what the school thinks are 'boys' or 'girls' activities

This is what I meant Italian

OP posts:
Italiangreyhound · 22/11/2015 22:17

Things that divide on grounds of sex are not necessarily sexist. Sexism is not distinguishing between sexes but discriminating.

pinotblush · 22/11/2015 22:17

Sports are different due to brute strength OP. And I suggest you arent rude to brand.

CatMilkMan · 22/11/2015 22:19

pinot theres no point in trying to have a discussion with you when you dont understand there are no such things as 'boys sports' and 'girls sports'

You are literally imposing your opinion as fact, it looks like you are the one there is no point in trying to talk to.

pinotblush · 22/11/2015 22:19

Boys do have boy things and girls have girl things. Rightly so OP.

We ARE different.

Senpai · 22/11/2015 22:19

At 15/16 the boys are far bigger and stronger than the girls. I think there is no way it would work to have a mixed football team or rugby team under those circumstances. Using the equipment in the gym wouldn't be a problem though.

Well, yes. We were smaller than the boys, but we could still play a little soccer (UK football) together. Obviously the kids (boys and girls) that were on the actual soccer team were told to be a team player and make sure to pass the ball to everyone. Believe me, there were boys that were big and clunky that even I could run circles around with a ball. Surely we've all played a friendly co-ed game of volley ball at the beach? All gym/PE sports were no contact (so rugby would be touch rugby only). It's a PE class not an actual game, you're there to learn the sport, not win at all costs like you would a stadium. Any games were just friendly games to have fun, learn the rules, and be active for an hour every other day. At least in the US.

DH was on an actual soccer school team that was co-ed in high school and faced other teams that were similar. I asked him and he insists the girls could keep up, the boys were usually defense or blockers due to size, but the girls could run fast and kick accurately too. It's not the norm, but it's not unheard of around here to have a mixed team.

Italiangreyhound · 22/11/2015 22:19

Thanks mileend2bermondsey then I misread what you meant and apologise. Yes all girls and boys should have access to the same sports, if they wish. (Although my honest view s they will not wish for some! But football, football is an exception, girls football is big in my area!)

EvansOvalPiesYumYum · 22/11/2015 22:21

But 'weak' girls can play any sport together, Pinot

'weak' girls can box each other, play rugby together, wrestle even! As long as their evenly matched with their weak brute strength

wickedlazy · 22/11/2015 22:21

Went to an all girl school so not much of an opinion on this, ds still at primary in mixed pe classes other than I would have opted to do tennis instead of dance. I'm shite at dancing but okay at tennis. Wouldn't have cared that I was the only girl, better that than embarrasing myself trying to dance. Can't remember ever doing dance in PE thank god. Think we had a sign up sheet where we signed up for what we wanted to do that term for one lesson a week, the other lessons where set things. Like the evil beep test.

Misses point of thread

EvansOvalPiesYumYum · 22/11/2015 22:21

they're = their. Sorry

pinotblush · 22/11/2015 22:22

You are trying to defy the laws of being male and female, which is stupid in itself, it is not my view as a feminist.

Original poster
mileend2bermondsey · 22/11/2015 22:24

You are trying to defy the laws of being male and female
Which laws would they be? Please do let us know. Where can I find them in written form, I'd like to pass them on to the England Womens football team and other such silly women 'defying the laws of being female' by playing a 'boys sport'

OP posts:
Original poster
mileend2bermondsey · 22/11/2015 22:25

No worries Italian I should have probably made my OP a little clearer.

OP posts:
Italiangreyhound · 22/11/2015 22:27

Smile thanks

Italiangreyhound · 22/11/2015 22:27

(feeling foolish for misreading) Blush

pinotblush · 22/11/2015 22:28

So do you think the WI shouldnt exist. Its surely very sexist? Let's keep the challenges real... Let's not impinge too much here.

The England womens football team are all women, or are there a few blokes there in wigs?

EvansOvalPiesYumYum · 22/11/2015 22:28

You are trying to defy the laws of being male and female

In what way? Because girls can play 'boys' games and vice versa? The only law of being male and female is that boys have a dick and girls have a fanny. We can all still do the same physical activities.

EvansOvalPiesYumYum · 22/11/2015 22:30

The England womens football team are all women

YES - and they are women playing football, which up until now you have objected to. As I queried further back - do you actually understand what you are writing?

Stevenhydesafro1 · 22/11/2015 22:31

I was hoping all this boys lessons and girls lessons had been given the boot years ago.
I left school in the 80's and girls did needlework and cookery, hockey and netball while boys did metalwork, woodwork and technical drawing, and football and cricket.
I quite fancied woodwork but my vagina meant I wasn't allowed.

pinotblush · 22/11/2015 22:32

I said all hail to women that want to play what is classed as a male sport. There will never be a mixed male and female football team though. I said that at school there isnt the funds to have both. If your child wishes to pursue that sport then they do that outside of school. It is not the schools fault in the slightest. So YABU to expect this.

Swipe left for the next trending thread