The boat race and equality

[businesshoursareover]

What's your opinion on this?

www.bbc.com/sport/0/rowing/32130222

How is it equality if women are still not allowed to race together with the men or, even better, take part in the men's team trials and get rid of gender segregation all together by having a single race for everyone?

Keeping them separated and having the women's race first as some sort of ''appetizer'' before the men take part in the ''main event'' only helps encourage the stereotype that women are inferior at sports and how they're just ''for the boys''.

Why do you want that?

"The one race to rule them all..."

Like Marie Stopes wanted?

Blimey - Wimbledon would be a bit short then! Bit dull too. And no paralympics unless they can compete with able-bodied competitors.

So, business hours, do you think the upcoming Pacquiao vs Mayweather fight should be abandoned then? Either of the Klitschko's would marmalise them - probably beat them both at the same time to be honest. Because these two are about to put on the most expensive boxing match in history. Should it be called off?

Let's have a bit of sympathy for OP, who clearly only wants to watch men's sports as he considers them so innately superior - and he must really struggle to find any mainstream coverage of such sports...

Oh, wait a minute...

Sabrinna, it'd shorten the Olympics too, only one weight category in boxing, weightlifting etc etc.

There is a massive lack of sport participation by women and girls in the UK at the moment. This is a discrepancy which is not replicated elsewhere in Europe (which I read the other day and was surprised at, but there you go).

So we put all the boys and girls and men and women in together to compete. The result will be that women and girls are excluded from competition, at all levels. This will mean no visible female role models for girls and women to aspire to.

The lack of female participation, which has been identified as problematical for society for a number of reasons, will (obviously) increase when your plan is put into force.

How do you plan to mitigate the problems that will follow, or do you not consider them to be an issue.

Why does the idea of boys at schools running around outside while girls don't - which happens too much at the moment - make you happy?

What sort of sporting activity do you think women and girls should be allowed to engage in? If you agree that exercise is beneficial for female sex people. I'm guessing individual gym-based non-competitive activities involving tight clothes? Possibly dancing?

Funny isn't it that men dominate at activities invented by men to test men against other men isn't it...

Let's take this (I know I'm Wimbledon obsessed):

It's not worthwhile at all, is it?! No need for that at all in sport - because business can't be sure he's watching the best people.

What a bizarre position OP. Should there only be two football teams so we're only watching the best footballers?

Nah, Flora, just one striker and one goalie, locked in a penalty shoot out for all eternity...

One endless keepy-uppy

Yes Yonic of course! Only two runners allowed in any race as well. No need to watch those other losers.

So that's Usain Bolt vs Any Other Bugger then?

I'd be delighted if this shortened the football season.... just one league only. Sod the rest. Go for it OP!

Well it's just not worth your time unless you are watching The Best* in the One Race To Rule Them All (presumably you can then die happy)

*as defined by the OP

Fucking hell, the FWR topic seems to attract a lot of wankers.

for all the regulars who have to deal with these posters daily.

Thanks Koala.

OP

If rowing selection was as you advocate, no women would be in rowing other than coxing. Height and long levers are what count in rowing and you don't get lots of 6 foot 6 women (granted the stroke of the Oxford ladies is 6 foot 3, but all the others were under six feet and most male rowers are 6 feet 3 minimum)

Isn't the very essence of the Boat Race how closely matched the teams are? I'm sure they do cover how the times stacked up against previous years but the main interest is not how fast it's rowed but how close it is over the line?

Amother I think that's what the OP's getting at. Cos that would be equality

Actually op the most equal would be any equestrian sport where there is no women's section at all, no difference in funding based on m/f, no allowences for being "weak", no segregation at all. Yet it attracts little notice and almost no support outside the equestrian world. Perhaps turning attention to raising the profile of the only truly equal sport, increasing tv coverage etc would be a better way to promote equality rather than splitting hairs over the advances that are made in other sports?

Well I don't see OP's point. If it's true that women have been eligible for years to vie for selection among the 6-foot-4 gods of rowing, and have always failed, then why ask for anything to change? Maybe he wants to hear a chant of "MEN MEN MEN No Girls Can Make It" during the race.

I'm not sure the op is trying to make a particular point that makes sense, just reach a point where he feels he can say HA GOTCHA FEMINISTS