I have heard this time and time again from those wanting to remove Title 9 citing the notion that it is hurting boy’s self-esteem. Yes, heaven forbid they must treat girls equally, give them the same access to education and particularly sports that they get. Oh no, we can’t treat them fairly, it will hurt their conflated, overprivledged sense of oppressing other! Oh no!
While my cynical and smarty pants commentary aside (oh no, I should not be smarter than a boy either) this notion of protecting the boys from girls who excel them in sports particularly is problematic and quite honestly ticks me off.
A similar issue has arisen with the WNBA, of which Megan has noted in other posts as well as Heidi in her WNBA Marketing Posts. The issue there is of course make-up requirements.
Yet, the article of late, from Beaverton, OR discusses this issue. Yet, it was not mentioned at all the real reason I think this amazingly talented young girl, Jaime Nared, (she is 12!) was kicked off the boys team she has been playing on since 2nd grade. It was not because of new management. It is not because the boys do not treat her same when it comes to being rough. It is not because of the surprise rule they just found about not allowing mixed gender teams.
The answer, dear readers, is that more than likely the parents do not want to have their boys losing to a girl.(Perhaps even fellow male team mates feel the same in this as well). Jaime herself is coming into her prime, scoring amazingly, and just excelling in every way. It was ok to let the “girl” play on the team……as long as she was not as good as the boys, or at least did not show it. How the tune does change! Now, it would ruin their manhood, hurt their self-esteem….they would not feel like the best. It is just not right to have boys experience that!
We must start now, ensuring that they never enter a situation where a girl or woman would be in a better position than them, socially, economically, or politically. Let us encourage the boys to demand girls are kicked out of all bastions of a falsified entitlement and socially constructed masculinity. After all, their self-esteem (really read that as privilege and continuing entitlement) stomps over all notions of equality.
Well what do those self-esteem bloggers out there think?
Read the full news article here. Or watch the Video here.
Photo by: astique
3 responses so far ↓
radicalontherocks // May 26, 2008 at 12:33 pm |
Hmm, maybe if we require her to wear make-up and take beauty classes, she would not have been kicked off? For you know, it is all about how you look now how you play!
Megan // May 26, 2008 at 5:16 pm |
This story is INSANE! Why would it matter her gender if she is the best player, then put her on the best team. I am so glad you brought this “their boys play differently when a girl is on the court” is part of the argument from parents of the boys – and all because she is better than them.
Times they are ah’ changin’ – her dream is to play at the NBA, not the WNBA.
Courtney // June 16, 2008 at 9:48 am |
Yes, here it is, this is what I just commented on in the newer post about women in sports.
It is insane and frustrating that they would discriminate against her like this.