O/T Gender and Sport

[Romanis]

Equality in pay? Well I believe in depends a lot on spectator sport.
Eg tennis, is fair that women get the same as men. The high levels of tennis deserves it. The same for swimming and athletics. Yes for horse racing and motor sport.
But for football, rugby and others, do the women really offer the thrills that spectators want?

[Andy_Faber]

No political or misogynistic intent here, but with almost another week before any meaningful football here’s a question.
We see ever more high profile women’s rugby, football and cricket these days...probably unthinkable twenty five years ago...but I’d suggest that we still have to accept that the ‘best’ footballers, rugby players, cricketers, boxers, tennis players and athletes are all men. For that reason it seems unlikely that we will see men competing against women, or even in organised ‘mixed’ teams at a professional level in the foreseeable future.
There must be sports however where the gender barriers are artificial and unnecessary. I know little about either but anything to do with horses and cars would seem to provide opportunity for men and women to compete equally as would such ‘pastime sports’ as darts, snooker and shooting.
Thoughts or additions to the list of where men and women can compete equally at the highest level?

I can offer an insight on the equestrian side of things, and that is this: At starter level, the ratio of males to females is probably 1 to 500. The sport at all levels below elite is dominated by females, maybe 3:1, and females very much 'step up to the plate' on what are traditional male roles - heavy lifting, lorry driving etc. Equestrian demands physical effort which favours males, but it also demands a level of dexterity which tips the scales towards females. And although its one of the most vitriolic, politicky sports on earth, I've never seen any gender bias. And yet: As the sport progresses towards elite levels, males STILL, despite the odds and the relatively evenly balanced physical requirements, still predominate. Despite a long time in the sport, I can only assume that there is something do do with application. But maybe not.

[Romanis]

But Andy, a female jockey who excels will get the same bonus and pay as a male jockey.
That's the thing, spectator sport.

Unless female footy, rugby, cricket can excite the masses like their male counter-parts, the gap will exist monetarily. And in today's sport, without money, you won't go far.

[DCFCArmy]

Womens sport isn't worth the time of day,, The quality is shockingly bad, and if they think for one minute they can compete against the men they are living in cloud coo coo land. Men would simply bash straight through them, men are for more competitive than women,, I love hearing 3rd wave feminists rant that there should be more mixed teams,, but they aren't putting themselves out to be chosen are they?,, men naturally would kill women in an competitive combat,, all fine and dandy competing in an office/working environment, women have the advantage of softening the male boss up,, as we know men love a bit of thigh. but please,, save you time trying to compete with men on the battle field, feminists.

Let the women golfers compete against the men and see what happens. The only sport I can think off where women CAN compete with the men is maybe horse racing, and I only really use handicaps as an argument tbh, group races off level weights and men are destroying them. but don't let that stop the 3rd wave feminists from spewing their s***.

[Romanis]

Womens sport isn't worth the time of day,, The quality is shockingly bad, and if they think for one minute they can compete against the men they are living in cloud coo coo land. Men would simply bash straight through them, men are for more competitive than women,, I love hearing 3rd wave feminists rant that there should be more mixed teams,, but they aren't putting themselves out to be chosen are they?,, men naturally would kill women in an competitive combat,, all fine and dandy competing in an office/working environment, women have the advantage of softening the male boss up,, as we know men love a bit of thigh. but please,, save you time trying to compete with men on the battle field, feminists.

Let the women golfers compete against the men and see what happens. The only sport I can think off where women CAN compete with the men is maybe horse racing, and I only really use handicaps as an argument tbh, group races off level weights and men are destroying them. but don't let that stop the 3rd wave feminists from spewing their s***.

Their was this argument in tennis. Men of course play best of 5 in Slams, while women play 3.
However I give them that, although they can never compete against the men in tennis, their application is just as telling. 3 is the maximum they can go in a 2 week long tourney. The quality is good, so fair enough, they get the same rewards.

The same for swimming, diving, athletics. The high quality and application does justify equal rewards.
But the same cannot be said for women's football. There's this gal, Stephanie Labbe , a goalie with the Canadian national team, who's now trying out for a 3rd division team - Calgary Foothills FC. She admits, there's a huge difference in the game. In a women's game, the pace is slower, in the men's game, the shots and passes come way quicker.
So maybe there is a route, but only in certain positions, goalkeeper and just maybe a striker. But they have to be as good as the men. I don't think there is a rule in football forbidding a woman on a men's team, but to do this, they really have to bulk up and be as fit and strong as the guys. Until then, it's just supposition.

[ramAnag]

Womens sport isn't worth the time of day,, The quality is shockingly bad, and if they think for one minute they can compete against the men they are living in cloud coo coo land. Men would simply bash straight through them, men are for more competitive than women,, I love hearing 3rd wave feminists rant that there should be more mixed teams,, but they aren't putting themselves out to be chosen are they?,, men naturally would kill women in an competitive combat,, all fine and dandy competing in an office/working environment, women have the advantage of softening the male boss up,, as we know men love a bit of thigh. but please,, save you time trying to compete with men on the battle field, feminists.

Let the women golfers compete against the men and see what happens. The only sport I can think off where women CAN compete with the men is maybe horse racing, and I only really use handicaps as an argument tbh, group races off level weights and men are destroying them. but don't let that stop the 3rd wave feminists from spewing their s***.

Of course all sports where strength is key will be male dominated because the ‘best’ men are stronger than the ‘best’ women so sports such as football, rugby, cricket, basketball, athletics, rowing, boxing, tennis, weight lifting etc will continue to be dominated by men and if you want to see the ‘best’ go and see the male version.
Having said that, your suggestion that ‘women’s sport isn’t worth the time of day’ is utter tripe and the quality isn’t ‘shockingly bad’ at all, it’s just relative. Using your logic the quality of all football outside the Premiership is ‘shockingly bad’ because it isn’t the best but that simply isn’t true.
The question was however...are there sports which are currently male dominated i.e. ‘pastime sports’, horse riding and car racing where the barrier is cultural rather than physical?

P.S. Darts is about as ‘akin to chess’ as DCFCA is to a feminist.

[Andy_Faber]

‘pastime sports’ as darts, snooker and shooting.

What do you mean 'pastime' sports? these are just sports

[Romanis]

What do you mean 'pastime' sports? these are just sports

I don't think darts qualifies as 'sport' it's akin to chess.

Snooker yes and obviously shooting is an Olympic sport. I think certain winter sports, the gap between the 2 ***es isn't very great. But mainly on an individual basis, not team sport.

[Andy_Faber]

I don't think darts qualifies as 'sport' it's akin to chess.

What? thats just ********

[Romanis]

What? thats just ********

No, calling a darts player a sportsman, now that's bull****.