| "Women's" or "Ladies" Football? 10:44 - Nov 27 with 360 views | noah4x4 |
We have often used cliches like “football being a man’s game” and “sorting the men out from the boys”. But today, we have some fine female teams and a quality FA Woman's league structure; also some excellent female officials doing a great job in the men's leagues; despite suffering both good humoured and spiteful teasing from the terraces. Many of today's young ladies also seem to have just as much ability as the boys, and some the physical strength.
Begs the question, will we ever see a female starlet playing in the British (mens) football league? It has been fanticised in comic books and the movies, but might it never happen? If we believe in equal opportunity, should that also apply to football? It's a debate where I think most bloggers in here would currently reach the same conclusion. But like women bishops...never say never?
This perhaps odd train of thought struck me whilst looking at Sunday’s Fixtures on the BBC site; The FA Women’s Premier League.
Aston Villa Ladies v Portsmouth Ladies
Barnett Ladies v Sunderland Ladies
Cardiff Ladies v Watford Ladies
Coventry Ladies v Leeds Ladies
Man City Ladies v Charlton WOMEN
When I was a Charlton resident, it never struck me that they were particularly different. So is this deliberate intimidation and/or mind games being played in SE7? Is it some attempt to now "sort the women from the ladies"? One thing is now proven, you can be pretty, feminine and yet tackle fiercely and dribble a football, so does the tag 'ladies' hinder the progress of 'women' in this sport?
Given the league is called the ‘Woman’s Premier League’, is it even necessary to add the descriptor ‘ladies’ or ‘women’? After all, we don’t ever refer to ‘Colchester United Men’. It then struck me that to distinguish the female teams from the men, perhaps the Woman's league should follow the convention of cricket and NFL and create team names like the ‘Deccan Chargers’ or ‘Washington Redskins’. Then typical male sexist mysoginist mischief embraced me and it crossed my mind; what about the "Barnett Curlers". Here, I deliberately digress simply to illustrate the challenge faced by our ladies (and/or women).
More seriously, and having seen the fast rising quality of senior Women's football, it seems to me only a matter of time before a female (or ten) emerges that could compete in the male leagues, and perhaps the barriers should now be coming down faster, particularly in junior and youth leagues, where so many Mary's now aspire to be Mark's and could possibly succeed with more encouragement. Frankly, it has already happened.
In 2004, the world football governing body, FIFA, ruled that a leading female Mexican footballer should not be allowed to play for a professional men's club. Maribel Dominguez had signed for the Mexican second-division club Celaya which would have been a first for football in North and Central America. The FIFA executive committee has said that the division between men and women in the sport should be maintained. I believe that this ruling still prevails beyond age group twelve. But should it?
On 29th December 2011, the NFL ruled that females can play American Football. Starting in 2012, the league will allow women to play (but I guess one has yet to emerge). NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he hoped the decision to include female players would convey the NFL’s more “feminine” and “progressive” sides. “Times are changing,” said Goodell, “the military is about to allow women into combat. If women are going to be fighting on the battlefield, how can we stop them from participating in football. It’s not fair The NFL is open to all players now — regardless of gender.”
Maybe an interesting and controversional topic for debate? Should we see TOTAL equality? Your views? [Post edited 1 Jan 1970 1:00]
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| "Women's" or "Ladies" Football? on 11:10 - Nov 27 with 351 views | noah4x4 |
As a post script, I have just been reading the 2006 Parliamentary Report into equal opportunities in football for women, and various equal opportunity statements from major football clubs promoted by the 2006 Equal Opportunities Act. It's what retirement does for one....time to pursue the oddest activities.
It seems that in UK Law, there is nothing to stop a female being employed and selected for Manchester United. However (and here I may be wrong), it seems that the 2004 FIFA ruling still stands, but surely UK Law takes precedence unless the match is overseas. Here, perhaps one of our legal eagles might enlighten me.
But discrimination is not merely about what happens on the pitch. For example; there was past evidence of discrimination in pitch hire, where male teams were given precedence over female hirers. The rapid growth in female teams was itself to counter discrimination, so that women had somewhere to play. But why not encourage genuinely mixed sex teams like hockey? BTW, there are now 250k female footballers and it's the most popular female team sport.
BTW, am not on any campaign/crusade, just curious about the question when applied to football - given what is happening in the Church as regards Women Bishops. Might we ever see a female playing in the Football League?
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| "Women's" or "Ladies" Football? on 11:54 - Nov 27 with 343 views | Leadbelly |
I admit my watching of women's football has been limited but it really does nothing for me at all. What I have seen was slow and the quality of goalkeeping frankly laughable.
I'm not coming from a sexist stand point as I have no problem with women's cricket, hockey (very much enjoyed a pre Olympics warm up event) athletics etc etc. It's just the quality of women's football,compared to men's football, is so poor it doesn't interest me...and that from a man who watches Col U and Leeds!
And as for Roger Goodell hoping for the inclusion of female players on an NFL roster...dream on. I suppose there is a slim possibility someone could make it as a kicker or punter but in a game where physical size, strength and speed count for so much I can't see how even the most talented female athletes could compete. And how keen would a 6' 6", 20 stone plus defensive lineman be to tackle a female running back with the same savagery displayed on every play at the moment? |  |
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