When is Sexism Not Sexism ?

Seems the answer to that question is when the sexism in question is directed at boys.

Imagine the outcry if a sports festival was to ban girls from taking part in a sport , well the opposite has happened at a sports festival in Wales where boys who have trained for the netball event at the Urdd sports festival to be held in Aberystwyth in May have been excluded from it because they are boys , it's been deemed by those in charge that the boys would have an unfair advantage but girls will be allowed to play in the football tournament.

The Urdd National Sports Festival takes place in Aberystwyth in May and primary schools were told two weeks ago.

Organisers said it was aimed at encouraging more girls to take part while boys' physical strength sometimes put them at an advantage.

But girls will be able to play in the football competition with boys at the same tournament.

Teacher Lisa Jones said the school still planned to enter a team but it would now include girls from younger years.

She described the ban as "a bit of a shock", adding: "As far back as I can remember, we've been allowed to take boys to the tournament."

Pupils wrote to organisers, saying how disappointed they were.

A statement from the Urdd said: "There is a significant gender gap in sports participation between boys and girls.

"Through offering an all-girls tournament with a clear pathway for continued participation we are actively taking steps to close the gender gap in sports participation."
www.bbc.co.uk...

I guess that makes it OK then.


I'm getting pretty sick of this gender bias toward females , it's bloody everywhere.
I'm all for a level playing field so long as it is truly level for both genders , it seems to me the pendulum has swung too far.

a reply to: gortex

why is it wrong to recognize the differences between men and women? They exist. They are real.

But when it's mentioned, it's taboo, and you can and will be shunned.

It's not a bad thing, it's nature. Weemen are better suited for making sammies in the kitchen, while tending to the kids. And no, she doesn't need a watch, there is a clock on the oven.

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: gortex

Weemen are better suited for making sammies in the kitchen...

And some of us are best at making slammies...

Maybe one day I can make a special one for you

a reply to: gortex

Maybe I'm misunderstanding something, but I'm thinking this is more about doing the wrong thing for the right reason... bear with me!!!

If there is only one option -- a mixed option -- I can see the need for another option... as in a boys league and a girls league. So everyone can play on a fair and level playing field.

But this wasn't the right way to go about it. That's not fair to the boys in any way; and therefore not really fair to the girls either, who are now being indirectly tarred as well with a pretty broad brush.

originally posted by: gortex

I'm all for a level playing field so long as it is truly level for both genders , it seems to me the pendulum has swung too far.

Funny thing about pendulums.

They always swing back.

It's like they're having a contest to see who can be the most ridiculous.

a reply to: gortex

This is an example of not equality, but equity sadly.

The only people that are going to suffer from this are the children. It's sad when adults start using kids as political pawns or for virtue signalling.

Setting up nerfed environments for children is only going to set them up for failure later in life.

The world isn't fair, and we should be teaching kids how to deal with adversity at a young age so they can adjust to it as they develop.

In this situation, at least the article recognized there are differences between boys and girls. While one may have a physical advantage, we should also note the girls have a mental one as their brains develop at an early age. Why take the opportunity away from them to learn that to help them problem solve not physically, but mentally. Likewise, the boys would have to learn how to use their physical advantage to counter.

And OMG, what if the kids on the same team learned how to use their strengths and develop teamwork? God forbid.

a reply to: Boadicea

I agree it's the children who lose out in the end due to the meddling of adults , this is the first time in the festival's history that gender in sports played has been an issue which it really shouldn't be for primary school children , surely it's the taking part that matters at that age not who might have a competitive edge.

a reply to: gortex

It sure seems like sex-based issues have been magnified recently. Much of it -- like this -- comes off as baiting... I mean, who could have possibly thought this was the right way or the best way to go about this? No one.

One could be forgiven for thinking there's an effort to reignite the war between the sexes, eh?

a reply to: gortex

interesting. now i remember schoolsports in my childhood. while the boys playing soccer the girls did... i don't know what they did! and now i remember girls and boys were seperated in sports. i once was captain of a soccerteam and we had two ladys in the team. wasn't a problem at all. but it was back in the days, i think. the times they are changing.

a reply to: gortex

“Closing the Gender gap in sports?”. Note how they use the same euphemisms in other areas of life.

Can’t they just have a separate tournament for boys? If not, can’t the boys just “identify” as girls to participate? It will probably be the only way men will be able to participate in anything in the future.

originally posted by: Metallicus
Can’t they just have a separate tournament for boys? If not, can’t the boys just “identify” as girls to participate? It will probably be the only way men will be able to participate in anything in the future.

Funny. As soon as I read the OP I thought to myself, "I'll bet they'll have no problem with a trans 'girl' who's still got boy hormones and a boy physique playing..."

originally posted by: Boadicea

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: gortex

Weemen are better suited for making sammies in the kitchen...

And some of us are best at making slammies...

Maybe one day I can make a special one for you

I look forward to seeing how well you make sammies. Just be sure you keep them shoes off.

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: Boadicea

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: gortex

Weemen are better suited for making sammies in the kitchen...

And some of us are best at making slammies...

Maybe one day I can make a special one for you

I look forward to seeing how well you make sammies. Just be sure you keep them shoes off.

You're in luck -- not a problem for me!

But if it's winter, I will reserve my right and privilege to wear my usual three pairs of socks. Barefoot is fine with me any other time... if God had meant for us to wear shoes, we'd have been born with them!