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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I didn’t enjoy the women’s football

122 replies

Busbygirl · 23/08/2023 18:35

My friend came round yesterday and we got into the topic of the women’s football.
She asked me if I’d watched the match, which I did, however when asked I said I didn’t enjoy it.
She seemed to take massive offence to this comment saying How could I not support women? We need to stand together. I wasn’t much of a feminist. It was a much better game than the men’s football (which I don’t agree with).
Lots of other similar comments basically implying I was out of touch and not supporting the sisterhood.
The atmosphere became icy after this and she left shortly afterwards.
I mean are we not allowed to not enjoy something without it turning into a battle of the sexes? I feel life is becoming exhausting.
I prefer men’s tennis too but wouldn’t dare admit it to her.
AIBU to admit I prefer men’s football without having to justify myself?

OP posts:
Spendonsend · 23/08/2023 19:08

I dont really enjoy football so I wasnt surprised to not enjoy this. However i also thought it was a particularly dull game.

tigger1001 · 23/08/2023 19:08

Busbygirl · 23/08/2023 18:35

My friend came round yesterday and we got into the topic of the women’s football.
She asked me if I’d watched the match, which I did, however when asked I said I didn’t enjoy it.
She seemed to take massive offence to this comment saying How could I not support women? We need to stand together. I wasn’t much of a feminist. It was a much better game than the men’s football (which I don’t agree with).
Lots of other similar comments basically implying I was out of touch and not supporting the sisterhood.
The atmosphere became icy after this and she left shortly afterwards.
I mean are we not allowed to not enjoy something without it turning into a battle of the sexes? I feel life is becoming exhausting.
I prefer men’s tennis too but wouldn’t dare admit it to her.
AIBU to admit I prefer men’s football without having to justify myself?

I didn't mind small doses of the women's football, but it's a different game to men's. Given a choice, I would watch men's games over women's.

And like you, I don't enjoy women's tennis nearly as much as I do the men's game. I'm a lifelong lover of tennis, but wouldn't go out of my way to watch the women's game - it's different to the men's and I enjoy the style of the men's game more.

Dontcallmescarface · 23/08/2023 19:08

Doesn't matter whether it's women, kids or men playing football to me is boring.

NuffSaidSam · 23/08/2023 19:09

I think it's fine to say you didn't enjoy that match.

I think it's probably a little short sighted to say you like men's football better than womens football in general. Surely there are boring men's matches and exciting women's matches? I'm not sure it's the case that ALL men's football is better than ALL womens football. I've seen some terribly boring men's games.

Leah5678 · 23/08/2023 19:10

She sounds touchy to even jump to that conclusion tbh assuming you're English like most on Mumsnet why would you enjoy watching your team lose? She just sounds like too much

Wenfy · 23/08/2023 19:11

Women’s football has definitely sorted the wheat from the chaff in that it shows how few people watch men’s football because of the football. Most watch it to stay relevant / because england represents something bigger, some like OP are clearly just perving on the guys - but people who love foot all generally prefer the women’s England team to the men’s.

TypicalCoach · 23/08/2023 19:12

Amazed that people can say they prefer the womens game when its such a lower standard compared to the mens and all the condescending articles about the women being so "brave and fearless" which they dont waste time writing about the men's game.

Good luck to anyone who likes women's football but the standard is so much lower than the mens, some of the goalkeeepers on display at the world cup could barely muster the basics and the pace of the game is so slow that making the pitches smaller has to be an option to speed the game up and be taken seriously.

The Spanish team did show shrewd tactics and gamesmanship to win final whereas the English team looked completely at sea at times both tactically and through lack of gamesmanship.

minasmemory · 23/08/2023 19:12

I am not really a football fan and can't get too excited about people kicking a ball about into a net men or women, however the men's game has more power in it and is faster and sometimes a bit more exciting, sometimes. I did not find the women's world cup engaging at all but as I say I'm not much of a fan of sport in general.

BellaJuno · 23/08/2023 19:12

I’d agree with you OP, I find men’s football matches more entertaining and better quality on the whole. I think it’s great the women’s game is becoming more popular but that doesn’t mean it’s the same as watching a men’s match in terms of general skill and enjoyment to watch for lots of people.

Badbadbunny · 23/08/2023 19:13

MrsTWH · 23/08/2023 18:53

I can’t really understand why, it’s the same game regardless of who plays it.

It really isn't!

HarlanPepper · 23/08/2023 19:14

Busbygirl · 23/08/2023 18:50

This is exactly what I mean, it’s almost like you’re not allowed to dislike it because you’re a woman. It’s ridiculous.

Show quote history

well, it would be ridiculous if anyone actually thought like that, which clearly they don't.

I'm a woman who has no interest in women's football and amazingly enough, no-one gives a shit.

TypicalCoach · 23/08/2023 19:14

Wenfy · 23/08/2023 19:11

Women’s football has definitely sorted the wheat from the chaff in that it shows how few people watch men’s football because of the football. Most watch it to stay relevant / because england represents something bigger, some like OP are clearly just perving on the guys - but people who love foot all generally prefer the women’s England team to the men’s.

Lol one of the stupidest comments I've ever read no real football fans don't prefer the women's game.

Go check our the WSL attendance figures compared to league 2, league 1, the championship.

What a stupid comment lol Jesus

BigButtons · 23/08/2023 19:16

I’m with you @Busbygirl
i am not really intern in football. I might start watching the euros or World Cup in the latter stages.
I agree that men’s sport is more exciting to watch
i did watch most of the women’s final with DP but found it spectacularly boring.

LlynTegid · 23/08/2023 19:17

I don't enjoy opera. I never watch it. I don't criticise people who do, there is a great deal of skill and talent.

Nothing wrong with having different things you enjoy and the reaction was unreasonable.

Mumof2teens79 · 23/08/2023 19:18

Busbygirl · 23/08/2023 18:35

My friend came round yesterday and we got into the topic of the women’s football.
She asked me if I’d watched the match, which I did, however when asked I said I didn’t enjoy it.
She seemed to take massive offence to this comment saying How could I not support women? We need to stand together. I wasn’t much of a feminist. It was a much better game than the men’s football (which I don’t agree with).
Lots of other similar comments basically implying I was out of touch and not supporting the sisterhood.
The atmosphere became icy after this and she left shortly afterwards.
I mean are we not allowed to not enjoy something without it turning into a battle of the sexes? I feel life is becoming exhausting.
I prefer men’s tennis too but wouldn’t dare admit it to her.
AIBU to admit I prefer men’s football without having to justify myself?

That match or women's football in general?
Why do you prefer men's football? Do you actually like football or just support a specific team

I don't enjoy football at all, but I wanted to lend my support to the lionesses without going overboard.

Lots of supposed football fans don't really enjoy football....they only actually watch their own team and maybe England. My OH is a true sports fan..he will watch any sport, any club, and men or women.

Not enjoying that match is fine. Just saying you don't like watching women play and prefer to watch men is sexist tbh. You can't defend that.

girlfriend44 · 23/08/2023 19:19

ThePuma · 23/08/2023 19:01

For all sorts of reasons, the quality of women’s football is objectively significantly lower than the quality of men’s football.

It’s not unreasonable to prefer men’s football, if you get enjoyment from the quality of the play.

That's why the ladies have done much better than the men then?

AndIKnewYouMeantIt · 23/08/2023 19:21

TypicalCoach · 23/08/2023 19:14

Lol one of the stupidest comments I've ever read no real football fans don't prefer the women's game.

Go check our the WSL attendance figures compared to league 2, league 1, the championship.

What a stupid comment lol Jesus

Show quote history

Especially this iteration of the England men's team where we are actually getting somewhere and they get along, unlike the era where we were throwing players like Lampard, Scholes and Gerrard together after them hating each other all year then crashing out early on.

girlfriend44 · 23/08/2023 19:22

BigButtons · 23/08/2023 19:16

I’m with you @Busbygirl
i am not really intern in football. I might start watching the euros or World Cup in the latter stages.
I agree that men’s sport is more exciting to watch
i did watch most of the women’s final with DP but found it spectacularly boring.

How can two teams battling it out, trying to outplay each other be boring.
Sport is unscripted, you don't know what's going to happen, twists and turns that's the excitement.

I often think that people who say Sport is boring are actually boring themselves.

Mainly · 23/08/2023 19:22

I'll be honest and say I'm not interested in the women's world cup. I say that as I'm not a football fan - I only watch the world cup and Euros, but just the men's tournaments. I just don't find the women's games as exciting.
I also watch gymnastics during the Olympics - I think the women's routines and great but I don't bother with the men. I could go on about other sports (although it's only the "big" events that I'll watch).
It's not sexist, I don't have to find everything women do interesting, or be as invested as I would be in the men's side.

MrsTWH · 23/08/2023 19:23

So what exactly is the difference? Same rules, same game. What is so much better about the men?!

ThePuma · 23/08/2023 19:23

@girlfriend44 that comment makes no logical sense. If the men’s team were to play the women’s team, they would clearly win by a rugby score.

TheInseparables · 23/08/2023 19:24

DD (a big football fan) was watching Arsenal on her phone during the Colombia game 😭

I don’t think there’s any obligation for women to prefer the women’s game- why would there be? I am pleased that we’re starting to take women’s football seriously though, both to watch and to play.

HeddaGarbled · 23/08/2023 19:25

Some football matches are exciting, some are OK, some are boring, regardless of the sex if the players. Same for tennis. If someone tells me they only like the matches played by one or other sex, I’d assume they are either sexist or are taking a stance, for motives of their own (argumentativeness, think it makes them interesting, etc).

TypicalCoach · 23/08/2023 19:25

girlfriend44 · 23/08/2023 19:19

That's why the ladies have done much better than the men then?

Show quote history

Lol have you ever played sports?

Yes because they are not playing the men, they are playing other women were the standard is lower but they are just better than the other womens teams.
Saying the women are better than the men has no relevance as they play different games.

Mumof2teens79 · 23/08/2023 19:27

Wenfy · 23/08/2023 19:11

Women’s football has definitely sorted the wheat from the chaff in that it shows how few people watch men’s football because of the football. Most watch it to stay relevant / because england represents something bigger, some like OP are clearly just perving on the guys - but people who love foot all generally prefer the women’s England team to the men’s.

Not sure about prefer it, but other wise I agree.

Women are still playing catch up to men. Comparing women who are only part-time who maybe started playing at 8yrs old at the local club, to men on Full time contracts who have been in academies since they were 5yrs old.

Not every match, especially in a world cup, is going to be amazing as the standard varies. That's true of the men's came too.

But In some countries where there is investment in the women's game the standard is improving and while the speed and strength of individuals may not be there, the skill is. And it will only continue to improve IF women and girls are given same opportunities as boys which comes from fans watching games.