The flimsiness of arguments against women’s participation was on display in the desperate legal efforts of Little League to bar girls after a string of lawsuits in 1973. Officials claimed that baseball was “a contact sport”; that boys would quit if girls were allowed; that girls’ bones were weaker than boys’; that facial injuries could ruin a girl’s looks and therefore prospects in life; and, most outlandishly, that girls struck in the chest by a ball might later develop breast cancer. One Little League vice president expressed his concern that coaches would not be able to “pat girls on the rear end the way they naturally do to boys.”
Girls are now allowed in Little League. And they have the legal right under Title IX to play baseball on a school-sponsored boys’ team if there is no girls’ team available, which there usually is not (and no, softball doesn’t count): “The law is very clear,” says Nancy Hogshead-Makar, senior director of advocacy for the Women’s Sports Foundation.
Nevertheless, teams often balk when girls want to play hardball. Last year, 14-year-old Jasmine Miles was barred from the boys’ team at her Arizona middle school. She had played on the team in seventh grade. “The coach thought I was pretty good,” she said over the phone, adding that he often had her play with the more advanced eighth-grade team. But when she wanted to try out for the team this year, “They said I couldn’t play because I was a girl.” (read the whole thing)
In the comments...
I've often wondered about this arbitrary dichotomy myself, and now that I have two wonderful daughters, I can't think of any reason why my children should have to play softball instead of baseball. There's a softball field next to the nearby playground, and the kids often watch girls practice softball out there. I can't tell you how many times my 5-year old has asked me why the game is different from the one her dad and uncle watch on TV, why the girls pitch like they do, why the ball is different. The worst was when she said she wanted to play baseball when she was bigger and I heard myself saying "baseball is a game for boys, but you can play softball". When she asked why, I simply couldn't say why. Because there's absolutely no reason why girls cannot play baseball. Thanks so much for writing this piece. I hope that this is something that can change for all girls and women in the USA.
92 comments:
You know, I don't care.
Respect for the traditional sex roles is a good thing.
There is no reason for this crap.
Women aren't that interested in sports, either. The response of colleges to the disinterest of women in sports has been to eliminate men's sports teams so that they can achieve the "gender equity" mandated by Title IX.
This entire load of crap needs to be junked. Stop the social experiment and leave things alone.
The world would be a better place if that prof over at TOP was ironing shirts.
I accidently posted this while it was not ready... sorry about that.
I've raised two daughters, and I never speak about them here, for good reason. For once, I will.
Both have master's degrees and good jobs.
My observation is that, if they could both be stay at home moms, they would do it. The reason they aren't doing that, in my opinion, is the enormous pressure exerted by a lifetime of propaganda about how they are supposed to be heroines of the feminist revolution. Being a mommy and wife isn't good enough.
I suspect this is a common thing. Leave the girls alone to play with dolls and dream of becoming moms. This determination to form them into men in grey suits living in a corner office is perverse.
Women with 130 IQs who are lusting to rise to the tope of the steaming pile of shit of the professions are rare. Why are we building a society that serves the needs to that tiny minority at the expense of the vast majority? Of course, the great gay marriage fiasco begs the same question.
Many are called but few are chosen.
ST throws like a girl.
Your wife is a tyrant and oppressor, Larry.
She's like a Chinese mandarin, luxuriating in her decadence and preening over her ability to dictate to the peasants.
And, you are her bauble.
Be that as it may...
you still throw like a girl.
Pitched no-hitters in Little League, Babe Ruth League and American Legion ball.
Your wife tells me often that I am obsessed with her.
In fact, Larry, it seems that you are obsessed with me.
Penis envy?
I had a tryout with a scout from the Chicago Cubs when I was a kid, Larry.
He told me I had a good chance to make it to Triple A.
I foolishly turned down this opportunity because I thought it interfered with my career as a musician.
That's all well and good, ST, but can you mow the lawn?
That's all well and good, ST, but can you mow the lawn?
I'm no match for Larry when it comes to lawn mowing.
It rained yesterday. I've been a lawn mowing constantly this year because of all the rain we've had. Even using my Cub Cadet LTX 1040 with the 42" mower deck, it still takes me about 2 hours.
The rap against me, according to the scout, was that I'm only 5' 10".
If you know baseball, you know that being tall is a tremendous advantage for a pitcher. The ball comes out of a tall pitcher's hand at a much higher point and descends as it approaches the plate, making his fastball heavier and prone to sinking.
Greg Maddux is only 5' 10". But, he's a rarity among pitchers in the modern era. Most are 6' 2" or taller. Maddux got hitters out by being a master at changing speeds and placing his pitches in precise location.
And, of course the friggin' Cubbies traded this 300 game winner and Hall of Famer to the Braves!
Yeah, but how many Taliban did they get in return, ST. Look at the Big Picture, man!
As with most Title IX things, this was done to make the feminuts happy.
And, yes, hardball is very much a contact sport.
No place for divas or princesses.
AllenS said...
That's all well and good, ST, but can you mow the lawn?
I think he prefers natural carpeting.
PS Shout, your first comment and the third was right on the money.
"PS Shout, your first comment and the third was right on the money."
The money of Sharia law.
Listen to me, fool, and learn.
Shouty,
The rap against you wasn't that you were short. It was that you threw like a girl. No one wanted to pay money to watch that.
Yes, I threw like a girl with a 95 mph fastball.
Making you into a pampered pet of a Mandarin princess has only doubled your arrogant belief that the world should be ruled by airhead ideals.
You are really that stupid, Larry?
You are so stupid as to compare the great Judeo-Christian tradition to Sharia?
I played softball in 5th, 6th and 7th grades. I enjoyed it. Wish I would have kept up with it.
Exactly. Thanks to feminism and title 9, now, in 2014, boy who throws like a girl and has a 95mph fastball, albeit thrown like a girl, can make it into the bigs. Sorry, Shouty, you were born too soon.
Been a while since you ran into a man who is proud of the culture that created him, huh, Larry?
I'm proud of my father and my grandfathers.
Do you piss on your fathers grave?
How much do you despise your father and grandfathers, Larry?
Why do you hate what created you?
Why are you proud of being a wretched, stupid ingrate who hates his own kind?
My father didn't want a grave, Shouty. So we respected his wishes.
Explain to me, fool, how it is that you equate the brilliant tradition of Judeo-Christian theology and law with the backward stupidity of Sharia.
If you can.
Both of my sisters learned to throw a baseball and could kick Shouty's ass and make him cry just like a little baby girl.
Cut the jerk routine, Larry.
You can learn something here. Lord knows, you need it. I'll help you.
The grim guilt with which you are plagued doesn't come from outside you. It emanates from within you.
Projecting that guilt onto other people and "society" won't alleviate the guilt.
Look inside. That one of the great precepts of that Judeo-Christian tradition.
"Shouting Thomas said...
I had a tryout with a scout from the Chicago Cubs when I was a kid, Larry."
But Cubs management decided, when it came to losing games, they had all the help they needed.
Larry, I've got lots of men friends.
The men I know and befriend (a few of them are gay), moved beyond this children mockery long ago.
It makes you uncomfortable to talk with men in a sensible, confident manner.
I can help you with that, too.
"Look inside. That one of the great precepts of that Judeo-Christian tradition."
Look inside.
Likewise, you're wife's guilt about being a fag hag doesn't come from outside of her.
You're both trying to fight your way out of a paper bag.
Your fag hag wife is about to take on the Catholic Church.
She will lose this round.
The Church defeated communism.
It's not afraid of this fight.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton can go fuck herself.
You haven't explained to me yet, fool, how it is you decided that Judeo-Christian theology and tradition is the equivalent of Sharia law.
Stop playing the damned fool, if you can.
You're a believer, Outing Thomas? Then why did you do something that makes you susceptible to Hell?
Jesus: "whosoever shall say, ‘Thou fool,’ shall be in danger of hell fire."
http://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Matthew%205:22
Now, Larry, go report what I said to your wife.
She wants to know, for whatever reason.
I'm not a politician. I've refused her suggestions that I turn my weblog into a vehicle for arguing with her and directing traffic to her site. (Not that I have much traffic to speak of. My site is up there for purely personal reasons of self-expression and media exploration.)
I'm pretty determined to avoid her site completely. I wish LEM would take the site off of his blogroll. I don't want to spend my time arguing with her, and I don't want to know what she thinks or does. I've got better and different things to do with my time than arguing about politics.
I'm off now to play for Mass.
No, Meade, I'm not going to play Alinsky entrapment games with you.
Tweaking Prez Obama's speech a bit....."the NYT is a hammer so everything it sees looks like a nail". That is why I ignore 99% of the NYT propaganda.
AllenS "Even using my Cub Cadet LTX 1040 with the 42" mower deck, it still takes me about 2 hours."
LSL: "Could it be because you have a huge vagina?"
Wow. Homophobia yesterday and now misogyny. Too bad Crack isn't here so you can call him the N word. You could have a trifecta!
Likely Allen takes that long because he has a yard bigger than a postage stamp. On my John Deer mower with a 42 inch deck it takes me about an hour. Then I weed wack around the orchard and driveways with the Shindawa straight shaft trimmer for another half hour. Care to make some sort of insulting comment about my yard work abilities that would be both sexual and insulting?
@AJ
I've got to get my ass off to Mass, but...
The NYT is home to reporters and executives who are among the tiny minority of sexual outliers to whom these issues are important.
And, they are determined that the masses of rednecks out there should be manipulated into obeying them.
Meade said...
PS Shout, your first comment and the third was right on the money.
The money of Sharia law.
Really?
What did he say that was so horribly incorrect?
Most women aren't that into sports and the ones that are, like guys, will find a way to play.
All Shout said was that, then as now, the Lefties are playing the "equality" game.
As for the "Mommy track", stats even before the Choom Gang's mishandling of the economy, women in increasing numbers were preferring home and kids to a "career".
Then he reiterated his observation about "equality". He's talking about women's natural inclinations.
If you're comparing that to Sharia, you're confusing the meanings of the word, "stoned".
On a serious note. Sports are a great thing for girls AND boys who want to participate. I don't think they are equal or should be forced to compete against each other. However, I do believe that there are some few girls who could compete. Few.
My daughter was very active in sports in school and one of the scholarships she got to a private and prestigious college was for softball (pitcher). The others were academically based. She was very good at the game, but unfortunately after a year of playing, she injured her arm and had to have some surgery that prevented her from being able to continue in that position. The college was very very cool about it and continued with the scholarship and let her do minimal participation on the team.
She is also an excellent golfer and can play right along with the men, due to her height and club weight. This is how she met her husband :-)and why I now have two beautiful grandchildren.
None of these skills made her compete against men or try to shove her way into the "boy's clubs". She WANTED to play. We didn't force her. If she wanted to though we would have supported her choice.
Using "throw like girl" is also misogynistic.
Interesting, alongside his derogatory use of 'gayness' yesterday.
Meade the hater.
@DBQ
Most girls in high school lack the muscle mass and height to compete with boys in many sports. If there were only one team, not boys and girls teams, fewer girls would make the team.
And equal representation would then have to be forced.
The Harrison Bergeron dystopia seems increasingly likely, at least for the proles.
Pogo is Only Mostly Dead said...
@DBQ
Most girls in high school lack the muscle mass and height to compete with boys in many sports.
My sister, diehard feminist that she was in them thar days noted the same thing in the case of Renee Richards.
The "huge vagina"comment and then saying " It was that you threw like a girl. No one wanted to pay money to watch that. were equally misogynistic.
Very strange, Meade, especially when followed by Bible quotes.
Most girls in high school lack the muscle mass and height to compete with boys in many sports. If there were only one team, not boys and girls teams, fewer girls would make the team.
Agreed. That's why I said 'few'. We can argue for equality in some things and some occupations, but basic biology and physiology is not one of those areas of equality. Men and women are just not equal or interchangeable. This is a good thing.
Using "throw like girl" is also misogynistic.
You know I hadn't realized until now. A couple of post we've done on Obama baseball trowing prowess may have been "misogynistic"... contingent on the idea that the president has a 'feminine side'.
Thanks Pogo for setting me straight.
My use of "throws like a girl" was not misogynistic.
My use of "throws like a girl" was not misogynistic
It is when you used it as and meant it as an insult.
If you were making a factual statement that indicated that men and women are constructed differently and that men and women actually do throw differently, that would be different.
However, you were trying to insult someone and using the term in a that way. Just as you were trying to insult someone by calling them gay in a previous thread.
Words have meaning but more importantly is the context in which they are used.
When I lived in KC I coached Little League baseball in the 'hood, hardcore hood. It was the first year Little League allowed girls. I was fine w/ it and mentioned that @ the initial meeting of coaches that season. Well, I was assigned all 5 girls who signed up that year. I girl was a real athlete. The other 5 just wanted to be w/ the boys. Afro picking their hair while the ball was in play was a constant problem!
Bloody Mary Monday @ the Dogless House.
"It is when you used it as and meant it as an insult."
I used it as a mirror.
Shouty saw himself in it and felt insulted.
Good. I hated playing softball instead of baseball. In the neighborhood, we played baseball. When my dad and I played catch, it was with a baseball. But when it was time to play on a team, softball. I thought the softball was goofy and didn't see why it had to be so big. And I hated underhanded pitching. At home I'd practice baseball pitching because that was more fun.
Something tells me Freeman has always thrown as a girl. At least, until she became a woman.
Softball was the only option for girls at the school.
oh - but the hate.
We used to play football as a group in the neighborhood. Boys and girls. Sometimes with a ball, sometimes with a Frisbee. Whatever was handy.
We were so progressive. Good thing that came to an end.
and yes - saying someone throws like a girl is misogynistic.
We did play co-ed dodge ball in grade school gym class. That was a blast. & sometimes, it hurt. I think I read some years ago that the nanny state put an end to that.
Title Nine confuses me a bit. My limited understanding is that it forced a more equal amount of money to be spent on female athletics, and yes, male athletics took a hit.
Meade said...
Something tells me Freeman has always thrown as a girl. At least, until she became a woman.
That one brought a simile to my face.
Something tells me Freeman has always thrown as a girl. At least, until she became a woman.
Fact. S.p.e.l.l.i.n.g. .i.t. o.u.t.
A gal pal of mine who lives in WY travels with her daughter who competes in a softball league. The daughter has so much fun. (the point!) She is also a baseball fan and our families are gathering in August to see a Rockies game in Denver.
I don't recall sensing any issues about how the all-girl teams longed to incorporate boys. I doubt the boy's teams desire to incorporate girls.
It should happen naturally. If boys and girls want to try out for the same team, then let them do it.
The well-meaning want to create divisions where none exist and force sameness where things should stay different.
If boys and girls want to try out for the same team, then let them do it.
Sure. As long as the individual person is actually, competent in the sport or activity I have no issue with it at all. What is objectionable is to force a girl (or boy) into a sport or activity who isn't up the the standards, and then force everyone else to make accommodations in play or tactics to make up for the girl/or boy's incompetence.
These teams are competing and the players want to win. If you can't make the grade; if you are a hindrance, you should be allowed to play on the team. Find something else to do.
Watching my young niece play ball last week was the most fun I'd had in a while. This was a coach-pitch league and her Diamond Dogs played the Diamond Divas. All had glittery jerseys and gorgeous helmets. Most impressive was the chatter when players came to bat. The high pitch squeals were truly outputting. My skin crawled. Boys teams may be missing an opportunity there.
Agreed, DBQ.
You know lawnboy throws like a girl. Wasn't he a Republican up until a few months ago?
Funny thing is, Nick, I really do "throw like a girl". Not much I can do about it - injured my shoulder about 30 years ago and it's never been the same.
As far a being a Republican, I've never been a member of any political party of any kind. I voted for Bush in 2004, McCain in 2008, Scott Walker in 2010, and Romney in 2012.
If Hillary runs, I might vote for her in 2016.
You are quite obsessed with me, Larry.
Have you confessed this to your wife?
Every time I go away, you start obsessing over me again.
How can I help you with this?
If Hillary runs I fully expect you to vote for her, Meade. Birds of a feather.
What difference, at this point, does it make who we vote for?
And, I mean that seriously.
It will be a big election.
The R party will blow it and nominate an idiot. Probably the fat McCain.
If Hillary wins, take the misery index of the last 6 years and kick it into the stratosphere. The well connected billionaires will be fine. The middle class? Screwed. But hey - Vagina and first! and stuff.
The Weinstein's and the hollywooders and the well heeled wall street wealthy Goldman Sachs inner circle will graft, draft and grift - wink wink as beneficiaries from Sir Edmund Hillary.
btw - We have returned to the Clinton era tax hikes. I thought prosperity, fairness, a booming economy and justice for all were coming soon?
Meade said...
If Hillary runs, I might vote for her in 2016.
She'd have to start making noises about being more of a Goldwater Girl than an LBJ/BHO rubber stamper for me to even consider that.
BTW, your voting record tracks mine, except for the Walker part. But I would have if I could have.
@Meade: For reasons I stated back here, I don't think that the first female POTUS should be a liberal.
Or a lesbian.
chickelit said...
"@Meade: For reasons I stated back here, I don't think that the first female POTUS should be a liberal."
I consider Obama to be the first female liberal lesbian POTUS.
Hey, if you come up with someone who wants the job who is better than Hillary, let me know. So far, I'm not seeing anyone.
These are the only POTUS issues for me: tax reform, growing the economy, national security.
I don't want to hear about and will consider it disqualifying of any candidate who campaigns on: abortion, homosexuality, birth control, marriage, race relations, immigration reform.
You need to find me someone better than Hillary. That's a pretty low bar.
I don't want to hear about and will consider it disqualifying of any candidate who campaigns on: abortion, homosexuality, birth control, marriage, race relations, immigration reform.
All of which, except for immigration (unless I misremember your gas-bagging on that particular topic) you are constantly harping on: using these topics as tools to disrupt dialogue, pontificating ad nauseum, nagging, and in general being an enormous ass on this forum. That and misquoting the scriptures and being a hypocritical bigot who tries to hide his bigotry.
You want us to think that you would hold Hillary or the other grifters to a standard that you refuse to consider? It is to laugh.
So...Larry....zzzzzzzzzzzzz. Talk to the hand.
I just think that with a liberal female, especially Hillary!, the usual suspects, NYT, WaPo, TV networks, et al., would give her the same pass they gave Obama. Of course there would be Drudge and Fox.
With a Republican female, at least we'd have our fourth estate back from the start, and we wouldn't have to wait for Jake Tapper to break ranks.
any candidate who campaigns on: abortion, homosexuality, birth control, marriage, race relations, immigration reform
Oh...wait.... you meant any candidate who campaigns on those issues and who doesn't agree with YOUR interpretation of those. It would be OK to campaign on those as long as they agree with YOU on abortion, homosexuality, birth control, marriage, race relations, immigration reform.
Actually. I agree. All candidates should STFU about those issues ....except for immigration reform, which affects the economic stability and survival of the country as the United States of America.
Let's see - which political party is against meaningful tax reform?
hmmmm. hmmm hmmm.
Which political party becomes obsessed with abortion, birth control, tampons, and rape right around election time?
hmmmm?
At election time, the pro-democrat hack media ask the GOP candidates questions about rape, birth control, tampons, and abortion. The questions are bad faith, loaded and unfair. These same questions are not lobbed at the D-party.
I bet Ann's son who Meade now claims as his own doesn't throw a baseball very well.
Just a hunch.
Qustion for Lawn bitch:
Did you sisters also go into the lawn care business, or did they not wait until they were pushing 60 to shack up for financial gain, and just start having sex for money when they turned 18?
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