The sports arena has always been a gender segregated activity. Even those espousing the belief that women are equal to men find themselves questioning whether women can survive an environment that seems designed by cave men. Although sensational athletes like Serena Williams and Danica Patrick prove that women can be champions in male-dominated sports, how does the everyday girl stepping onto the court, the field, or the rink fare?
Men’s sports are tailored to men’s size, strength, and sheer ability to run into each other like human-wrecking balls without breaking a sweat. A woman trying to play linebacker against a 250-pound man isn’t a fair matchup; it’s a recipe for disaster. An argument can be made that a contest between a 110-pound and 250-pound man would also end in a tragedy; however, this matchup would be an anomaly.
If we want to look at this scientifically, the reality is that the average male has 10-20 times more testosterone than the average female. This leads to greater muscle growth, strength, and power. Men have larger and more fast-twitch muscle fibers, which give them explosive power and strength. They also often have larger hearts and lungs, increasing their oxygen capacity and leading to greater aerobic endurance. To top it off, the basal metabolic rate is about 10% higher in men than in women. This means that men can convert more caloric intake into muscle and energy reserves. The biological reality is that men have an edge over women in a great many sports.
This doesn’t mean that women can’t compete and win sports competitions with men. However, in addition to some biological limitations that women face in sports competitions with men, there are also cultural blockades. Women in men’s leagues are often given a broom closet to call their locker room while the guys get a sprawling, fully equipped space complete with everything from saunas to flat-screen TVs. Then, she must contend with the uniquely male “Bro” culture. Should she be included in the locker room trash talk and post-game fist bumps and beer night? But perhaps her greatest challenge is the unofficial initiation that she must pass to be truly accepted onto the team. Although every guy likes to say they’re totally cool with her playing, she will be subjected to harder passes, more aggressive plays, and a sudden need for everyone to go extra hard just to prove she “can’t keep up”.
And if a woman does succeed in a man’s sport, her ability to dribble a ball is treated as a supernatural event. Strangely enough, there’s not a whisper if a man excels in a woman’s sport. It’s just business as usual.
At the end of the day, women who want to play in men’s sports don’t need special treatment—they just need a fair shot. And if that fair shot never happens- well, there’s always co-ed dodgeball!
Comments