[MB.]

Should gender segregation in sporting be abolished?

[Michaeluj]

No, it'll embarass men.



I would prefer to actually see such a game before deciding. I mean, if women do suck, then perhaps they should be kept seperate. But then again, having a bad player would certainly make games more interesting...you know, the bad player being avoided or given extra care, and so on.

[Prosthetic Conscience]

There are mixed sports, if you want. For instance, mixed field hockey has 5 men, 5 women, and your choice for the goalie, per team. As far as I know, it's just played as a club game, without being deadly serious - but everyone is still trying to win. You're just more likely to go for a drink than have extra training.

[Abood]

What do you mean by "gender equality," MB? Do you mean equal opportunity for both males and females, or an equal number of males and females in a team?

If it's the former, I see no problem with it. If there's a woman that's better than/equal to the men in a team, there's no reason to prevent her from joining? If it's the latter, however, then no. That would useless and could lower competition levels.

[MB.]

If it's the latter, however, then no. That would useless and could lower competition levels.

Don't you think affirmative action might be necessary if the gender segregation is removed? I'm presuming from ignorance that the average male salary is higher than the average female salary in professional sports.

[Abood]

I don't see how pay is relevant.

I believe males and females should get paid equally if they get into the team, but I don't see why it should be made easier for women to join the team.

[Zyx]

I never much agreed with sports; being that, they are just physical competitions that, for the most part, either represents a person's commitment to physical improvements (football, basketball, soccer) or playing games (golf.) They are simply competitively unproductive pastimes. That said, seeking 'gender' equality would be a meaningless gesture. It does not escalate women into productive parts of society and has the negative potential of discouraging women from tending to more productive activities, like school work. In that sense, as an ex-feminist, I say that gender equality in sports is useless; still, like Abood, I see no reason to bar an especially athletic woman from sports play with men (I hear that quite a few women can dunk and whoop men at basketball.) If the sports were unified, though, I doubt that women would run track in the Olympics. That is an issue all itself, but I'd support gender unification for sports except that, in thinking about it, I realize that young girls would likely never pursue gymnastics if the sport were predominately field by men--but, thinking about it, I have no idea why the only sport that I specifically defend is the one with thirteen-year-old women in tights . . ..

*is hungry for Chinese.*

[Erebus]

I shouldn't think so, no.

I believe males and females should get paid equally if they get into the team, but I don't see why it should be made easier for women to join the team.

Agreed.

[Thunderhawk]

I believe males and females should get paid equally if they get into the team,

In professional sports, how often are men paid equally with other men?
even when accounting for position and team.

[Abood]

Well, obviously.

What I meant to say is that gender should not be taken into account; only skill, position, etc.

[Lightman]

There are certain sports that women are simply not built for, and most certainly should not play with men; American Football, for instance. It's denying reality to claim otherwise, whether that's politically correct or not.

[Abood]

Are you saying there isn't a single women that can beat a man's ass?

[kuros_taken]

Professional sports are a ridiculous concept in the first place. Getting paid hundreds of thousands to millions to play a freaking game is a joke. It used to be simply groups of workers from around the country representing their state and then getting back to the real world and work. As stated earlier, sports are unproductive, even though they require degrees of physical commitment, but so should life in general, not just 'athletes'. If women want to play rugby with the guys then let them, but they better not complain about it being too hard and request special rules.

[MB.]

Professional sports have existed since the dawn of civilization.

Furthermore, Kuros_Taken, presume for the sake of this thread that no cares what you think about the legitimacy of professional sports and instead answer the question.

Do you support gender segregation in pro. sporting regardless of your disdain for the concept of pro. sporting?

[kuros_taken]

If women want to play rugby with the guys then let them, but they better not complain about it being too hard and request special rules.

I believe I did.

[Lightman]

Are you saying there isn't a single women that can beat a man's ass?

No, but I am saying that finding a woman who is both physically large enough to be at the same level as a male American football player as well as physically fit is nigh impossible. Women simply are not built that way.

[Zyx]

Surprisingly, men are not built that way either. Men build themselves that way, though. It's hard to tell whether a woman can build herself that way, too (at least for track.)

[reddeath26]

I am somewhat in two minds about this issue. On one hand I think that it should be abolished. If someone has the physical capabilities and skills required to play the game it should be irrelevant whether they are male or female. However with such a move we would also be striking out any teams being exclusive to females. I am unsure then how many female athletes would be left when suddenly their teams are opened up to males joining as well. I do not doubt that there would be a few females who made it to the pro teams, but how many would be losing out in the lower teams as a result?

[Dave]

Don't you think affirmative action might be necessary if the gender segregation is removed? I'm presuming from ignorance that the average male salary is higher than the average female salary in professional sports.

You're correct, and that's because no one wants to watch women's sports, except for ones where the women are really hot. For instance, in women's tennis many of the stars make more than men's tennis.

[NYYS]

This is a non-issue since women are physically inferior to most men, but especially to professional athletes.