We Should All Play Like Girls
Transgriot
By Monica Roberts
16 July, 2011
http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2011/07/we-should-all-play-like-girls.html (http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2011/07/we-should-all-play-like-girls.html)
When I was growing up on the other side of the gender fence, if your sporting performance wasn't up to par in the testosterone drenched sporting world, you would be berated and told by oyur male counterparts and coaches 'you played like a girl'.
When the WNBA in 1997 exploded into our consciousnesses at arenas around the nation, there was an ad run which showed two male players engaged in a hard nosed game of one on one basketball. The brothers are pushing, shoving, grunting, sweating and contesting every point until an off camera voice says to them, "Hey, y'all play like girls."
I was told that I did just about everything like a girl while growing up :-\ At the time the comments felt disparaging, but now I look back and feel proud... Especially because I also played most sports rather well :laugh:
Actually, the relative lack of commercial influence is one of the main things I like about women's sports. There's a lot less ego, and female athletes seem to actually realize There's Life After Sports. Every time I see men's sports, I can't help but wonder how many of them are going to end up destitute with no prospects or in jail, all because they never planned their life beyond "going pro".
I've always loved playing sports, but the male ego garbage drove me away from most team sports. Being able to "run with the girls" would've done me a world of good, way back when.