Play equipment is a feminist issue

[artisanparsnips]

I've posted the message below on chat, but would really like your perspective on this as well. I'm starting to talk to people who might be interested in campaigning on this, so would love feedback.

Quick question, what outdoor play facilities are there in your local area for older children - skate park, graffiti wall, pump track? And how much are they used by girls? And is there anything else that the girls use?

I'm asking because my eyes have been totally opened by the Caroline Criado Perez book, where she points out, almost incidentally, that almost all facilities for older/teenage children are used mostly by boys. I looked at what was on offer in my town and lo, it was all the above, and a football/basketball pitch. And I watched all summer and they were all used by 80% boys at best.

So I really want to know how usual/unusual this is, and any other thoughts that you have.

And yes, I have name changed because anyone who knows me will recognise this issue straight away....

I’m not sure that’s necessarily a femenist issue unless you are suggesting that teenage girls should be into that nonsense or that they secret are into it and are being prevented from using it. In our town we have a skate park etc which is used mostly by boys and lots of cafes and nice parks to sit in which are used mostly by girls. I don’t think there is really an inequality in the quantity of ‘girl’ spaces and ‘boy’ spaces (taking into account that the ‘girl’ spaces are shared with the community at large), more that teenaged girls don’t seem to be interested in skating ramps and prefer using more universal spaces which they share with adults.

I would call these things sports facilities, not play facilities.

It is well known that teenage boys are more interested in sports than teenage girls. You could dissect the reasons for that but if girls aren't choosing to use sports facilities that's no reason to not provide them. I don't see many teenage boys using the dance facilities at my local community centre, or joining the yoga class.

skate park, graffiti wall, pump track? And how much are they used by girls? And is there anything else that the girls use?

Our parks that have these things are uses by boys and girls.

I am confused as to what your issue is.

What are you suggesting is missing from parks that stops girls wanting to go?

It's a feminist issue - at least it is in my town - because the council is spending large amount of money on facilities and not providing anything for girls, or considering their needs, which is against the law.

One of the reasons girls don't use parks is because there is nothing there for them - and there have been alterations to parks in Europe which result in girls using them much more, including for sport.

Also @ArnoldWhatshisknickers , in your example the girls are paying for the classes rather than having them provided for free.

In our town I would guess that it is no more than 20% of girls using these facilities, and the pump track is almost 100% boys.

What in the park woild they want you to provide?

Also when kids are young they all generally use these facilities.

If girls dont as they get older, we need to look at the reason teenage girls are reluctant to take part in sport and fitness in general and tackle that.

So what would you add that would attract more girls?

I think it’s part of the early training to keep women out of public spaces. Girls know they aren’t safe to be hanging about for hours in groups in the park because of pervs. Let alone the issues about it being deterred from sports.

Supervise parks properly and then see who comes to use them. Show girls their sporting role models and then see what they want to do.

This is interesting. We have an amazing council run skate /bmx park locally staffed by cool yet kind young adults. It's for under 18s. I've definitely seen some girls but next time I'm there I might analyse. Or I might ask them. The staff are all male I think but they run the place really well, helping beginners and keeping behaviour nice. You don't get intimidating gangs hanging out on top of ramps.

I was into roller skating as a kid but only ever went to skate parks in my 20s with a big group of mates. Would have been too intimidated when I was a kid. I loved skating but was very average. I think I'd have felt, being a girl, I'd have needed to be brilliant to fit in.

According to my 13 year old daughter, more swings. According to the research, better lighting, multi purpose sports areas with different zones, informal climbing and adventure play areas.

And yes, completely agree about younger children - it's what happens when they start going to the park without their parents that the disparity arises.

and yes to your third point and I think the facilities/park design is part of that equation

artisanparsnips

Where I live the boys are paying to use football and basketball facilities too.

Skate park and cycling tracks are free but free to all, both sexes, any age. I'm not sure what you expect the council to provide in terms of free facilities for girls. They already dance in the street, run sprints up the hill in the park, just hand out at the picnic benches.

@stillathing Yes, staffing is one of the ways in which girls get to use these facilities more.

@ChattyLion. Yes. This. in another part of my life i am writing about why women don't go out in the countryside on their own and why so much of nature writing is produced by what Kathleen Jamie brilliantly called 'the lone, enraptured male'.

@Anotherlongdrive Case study here - www.wpsprague.com/research-1/2017/1/6/more-girls-to-parks-case-study-of-einsiedler-park-viennamilota-sidorova

Hang out, not hand out

@ArnoldWhatshisknickers That's great. Your park and equipment is clearly better designed than ours - and the football/basketball court is free here. So all of this is what I am interested in, as I am sure ours is at the slightly more crappy end of things.

And actually, can you DM me the name of the park, as it sounds interesting.

I’ve never reAlly thought about it before but you have a point.

I really need to buy this book!

Agree that part of the problem is analysing the reasons for self excluding.

Anecdotally its really common for girls to give up sports during their teenage years. Navigating changing bodies, stupidly revealing clothing and the male gaze is tough. One has also entered the period of life where one is public property and looks, clothes, facial expressions etc are up for comment by any passing male strangers.

And I agree it IS training for staying out of the public sphere. I lose count of the number of times I've attracted scolding, criticism, abuse and even physical attack for the heinous crime of cycling or jogging unchaperoned.

If the designs really do have boys in mind then the girls will self select out as they get to their teens.

I don't know what girls would actually want that would be different. Younger girls seem to like swings but these are for toddler use nowadays.

You don't see many climbing frames these days (safety I know), but those low horizontal bars to turn over were always a favourite of girls.
Skipping and French skipping probably banned in schools now. Sigh.
Their could be netball hoops in parks as well as basketball areas. But we all know what will happen, the netball hoops will get damaged cos they are lower down.
Damaged by the older boys.
Another sigh.

Shoes!
Now that girls proudly wear trainers and trousers/leggings etc then this is the time to add a wall for handstands.

And it is possible to design things differently.

This document by play England includes two play areas - one just for teenagers, one for all ages, which are used equally by girls and boys. Coombe Abbey Park and Cowley Teenage Space, at the end of it all.

And yes to those bars, that's a really good thought.

artisanparsnip I wasn't talking about a specific park. I think perhaps you meant to direct your DM request to stillathing?

Oh, and this is the Public Sector Equality Duty:

The act says that public authorities need to:
• remove or reduce disadvantages suffered by people because of a protected characteristic
• meet the needs of people with protected characteristics
• encourage people with protected characteristics to participate in public life and other activities

On all of those grounds, I would argue that providing free skate parks and pump tracks which are used 80% by boys is a direct contravention of the act.

@Velveteenfruitbowl you are suggesting that teenage girls should be into that nonsense seriously I hope you aren’t telling your children this! That skateboarding is for girls and girls should be sitting in the parks and cafes only!

My memory from the book is that is it also about access points and not having a "gauntlet" effect that teenage girls find intimidating.