To think University Challange is sexist

[Uhohmummy]

Rounds on tonight's episode include "women and their husbands" and a picture round identifying male cricketers.
As usual, there's just one woman in the 8 contestants.
It surely cant be the case that most male students are cleverer than women so why aren't there more women on there each week? DH thinks it's because they just don't apply but I think there must be some other, possibly soft, barriers to women applying.
I'd be interested to hear if anyone agrees (or not).

How would a balance of male/female contestants enhance the programme? I enjoy it as it is. I also answer more questions than DH. The questions are cleverly worded and morph from a niche subject to something more general as more of the question is read out.

Did someone really say up-thread that perhaps more questions on embroidery or baking are needed to attract more women to apply?

Maybe fewer women apply for the teams, or the men are brighter?

Yes and the concerning question is WHY fewer women apply.

Oh and suggesting that screaming sexism is hysterical? Sexism in action. Right there.

Isn't there some form of 'reverse sexism' going on here though?

Who says sport and STEM subjects are male topics? Why shouldn't women be expected to answer questions on those topics? Some of the views on here are almost suggesting that whilst women should be included on the teams, they should be there to answer the non-male questions on needlework and bakery
As a state school educated female, I am far more likely to be able to answer questions on cricket than embroidery stitches

AtHomeDad I didn't "scream" sexism nor have I been hysterical in starting this discussion. I asked a reasonable question and an interesting debate with a mix of opinions ensued. I completely agree with that the comments upthread that your posts are pure sexism in action.
And I don't believe inherent sexism is a small issue, wherever it lies. As a woman and mother of girls I see it as my duty to call it out and question it where it arises, and I make no apologies for that.

How would a balance of male/female contestants enhance the programme? I enjoy it as it is.

Well, thats lovely for you. But what message does the imbalance send to youngsters watching the show? I think thats why it matters - it helps perpetuate old stereotypes.

Absolutely STEM isn't a male topic. But if a woman muffs a STEM question, she'll probably get toasted on twitter - would that happen in the same way to a man who muffed a question on a stereotypically female subject?

Sport is gendered - sure, a woman might be a cricket fan but in our still-sexist society she's more likely to be expected to make the tea.

Thinking about teenage ds, who is very good at quizzes - he has been "in training" since he was very small. Memorising extended lists of superheroes (and testing me...), England cricket teams from the past 50 years, post-war Academy Award winners and nominees etc etc etc - whatever has been his obsession of the week.

I do think this is more of a "boy" thing and although I am no slouch at a quiz myself, I don't have the vast repository of knowledge that ds is building up.

I do think it is reverse sexism to say "Have more Arts and History questions!" for the girls. I find it quite insulting for people to suggest that women are only capable of answering certain types of question. How about more positive discrimination for those institutions who never get beyond the first round? It's so unfair that a few universities dominate every year...

They do a little bit Lady. When they're selecting the universities, if two are very similar but one has never been on, or hasn't been on for years they'll be more likely to choose them than a team that's been on every year.

Selection was in house quiz paper picking a couple of teams then UC itself selected the teams after that. Not sure male/female composition was a factor.

My very favourite UC memory is that one question in selection asked about a word which meant both an art technique and a sexual act. Only one person knew, and she announced the answer very loudly in her extremely strong Welsh accent, "frottage".

Our team was very high scoring and interestingly diverse - geographically and ethnically as well as being balanced 3/2 male/female (you have a spare). But once you got through the quizzing part of the selection there was a panel bit where you needed to show how suitable you were for tv. We flunked that bit and the usual four white male teams all sailed through. I'm still fairly bitter about it (can you tell?) but if the selection process is similar nowadays then there is more the producers could do in a kind of affirmative action kind of way.

How would a balance of male/female contestants enhance the programme? I enjoy it as it is.

Well, thats lovely for you. But what message does the imbalance send to youngsters watching the show? I think thats why it matters - it helps perpetuate old stereotypes.

I don't think my DC even stop to think about the balance of males v females on the programme. They're just wowed by the knowledge of the individuals, and their lack of knowledge if they answer a question correctly that the students don't. That is lovely for me.

Perhaps they're not so in tune with these old stereotypes you mention, Errol.

"I don't think my DC even stop to think about the balance of males v females on the programme"

What a shame. I do hope they get more aware as they get older. Have you thought of talking about it with them? You could draw their attention to the gender balance on panel shows too........

Or perhaps they're just so used to them Hillarious?

Bertrand - they're plenty old, but don't tend to watch panel shows. Perhaps that's the problem.

With University Challenge, they see the individuals, not their gender.

My 9 year-old asked why it's all men, and when teams have been especially poor he's said they should get some women on the team to help them out.

I remember a celebrity special where cbeebies Katy had a go. She looked extremely uncomfortable and non plussed when they asked her to sing her baking song in a rather derogatory way. I suspect it put her off her game a bit.

As many have said, it's not enough to say that women don't apply. The same is said, for example, in politics.

Are women really disinterested in politics? Are they really not interested in healthcare, education, flytipping, Brexit, the benefits cap, living conditions for military families, animal welfare, public transport, housing? Of course they are but if they want to get involved in politics, what are they joining? Political parties are generally make dominated and more welcoming to new men - for example Labour and Conservatives locally have football teams that male activists can join (and network in). What do women join?

It looks like universities have male dominated quizzing clubs. Why would a woman with a social life and wider interests join them - and be stared at or ignored?

There's a perception that women aren't good at quizzing. I'm a member of an all women pub quiz team. We look like a group of women out for a drink and a gossip who happen to be doing the quiz. At a new pub we're always patronised until the results come in - usually top 2. The male teams are very surprised.

This reminds me, we must try a new pub soon as surprising other teams is always fun.

There wasn't a quizzing club at my uni, just some form of communication that 1st round try outs were in the union at x time.

I don't actually remember a live audition - just paper based stuff.

For what it's worth we were roundly defeated by Durham and I was so happy when we got over 100!

With University Challenge, they see the individuals, not their gender."

Yes, that's wat people do when it's majority men. Majority women and there's a twitter storm. Incidentally, anything more than a third women is perceived as a majority.

Majority women and there's a twitter storm. - that's where the sexism is.

My niece was in the final team fro her university, but when she did it you had to send five people (one as a reserve) the other students (all male, all science students) told her she was the reserve and that was that.

So my neice was in the green room while it was being filmed answering all the questions correctly (because she is extremely knowledgeable on many subjects) while the self appointed male team messed up. The runner in the green room was astonished - she kept saying to DN 'why on earth didn't they have you on the team instead of as` reserve'.
The answer being 'because I'm a woman'.

They let their sexism override even common sense which would suggest it is better to have some arts and some science team members to cover all questions.

There's a perception that women aren't good at quizzing.

I don't really agree. I think it is more a case that men in general are more interested in quizzing.

DH used to play in a pub quiz league. I went along to support but occasionally played if they were one short. There were women in the league. In fact a lady on one of the teams had been a Mastermind winner. However, it did seem to appeal mainly to men.

I happen to love quizzes and would absolutely have applied if I'd gone to Uni in the UK.

Women seem to be generally less interested in that kind of competitive fact spouting (which let's face it, is quite shallow). Pub quizzers tend to skew male too. And the Only Connect boffins.

It looks like universities have male dominated quizzing clubs. Why would a woman with a social life and wider interests join them - and be stared at or ignored?

I have joined these clubs and wasn't the slightest bit put off by the male domination. And I wasn't stared at or ignored, I was welcomed into the fold.

But I did it because I really enjoy this stuff. I just don't think most women are that interested tbh. And that's neither here nor there, it's not a particularly worthy pursuit.

I do pub quizzes and the ones round here anyway have a very good female content. Certainly no one would be surprised if females won - a 50/50 mixed team wins most of the quizzes round here.

I think people are being sneery, too, eg "why would a woman with a social life and wider interests join them" . So is it a) that women should be better represented or is it b) that quizzers are saddos? If the University Challenge teams are all a lot of whey-faced social rejects beneath contempt, why are people complaining that women are under-represented?