Does women's professional sport represent a kind special female privilege?

The Game Room
1

Yes it does, of course it does. It’s a type of special privilege that society doesn’t have a problem bestowing upon women. I’m down with it, I don’t have a problem with that. I don’t have a problem with treating women well.

However, there are a group of professional rabble-rousers who work in media and journalism and academia who are in the business of attacking what they deem “male privilege.” Let’s call these people “Feminist.”

In that vein, it’s worth pointing out that women earning money playing various professional sports are a protected class, a “privileged class” if you will. I remember the grumbling recently about female tennis players earning less than their male counterparts. I do wonder though, if they would be earning anything at all if they weren’t shielded from male competition.

As a female athlete, you compete only against other female athletes rather than the entire pool of human athletes. Oh, there are various reasons for this: our sensibilities, the market, social norms, blah blah blah. So what? Since when do these reasons matter to the feminist arguing against ‘male privilege.’ To them, if it’s unequal it’s unequal, period (.)

So, consider a male athlete who’s pretty good but not good enough to be in the men’s professional sports leagues. He may have observed that he’s better than even the best female player in his sport. He won’t be able to compete against them, he won’t be able to earn. He’ll have to do something else. Too bad.

So, owing to his gender, he can’t earn even though players who might be much inferior are earning millions because of their gender privilege.

That’s discrimination, and it’s an example of female privilege: to be shielded from competition. I don’t have a problem with this because I’m not all about gender equality, but if you claim to be then you need to have a problem with this.

If you’re a feminist and you don’t attack this, you’re a hypocrite.

2

You have your orders, feminists.

3

You ever played Mario Kart?

There’s a reason the person in last place tends to get the bullet, and the person in first place tends to get the blue shell.

Fair =/= Equal.

4

An example of female privilege in sports is Ronda Rousey.

5

People pay to see women’s tennis. It often generates more interest than the men’s game. College footbal teams are not as good as NFL teams, but people still pay to see them.

6

Because 80% of internet threads include a Princess Bride quote somewhere… “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

7

I guess I’m ok with being that kind of hypocrite. Men and women have different kinds of bodies. Featherweight boxers don’t fight heavyweights, either, and it’s not because they’re not as good.

8

Now you’re just talking about small person privilege. Not to mention the many dozens of minor league baseball teams that are all over the country: obviously a pitcher in a AA league can’t compete against a major league batter, so he is enjoying an untalented person privilege.

What’s more, Usain Bolt has never raced a cheetah. Talk about bipedal privilege!

9

Suppose I didn’t understand why. Would you explain it for me?

10

kstarnes, you’re confused about what privilege means.

Leagues in sports are arbitrary divisions based on ability, location, gender, number of skilled players, number of interested fans, and many other things.

Women earn money in sports because a women’s league is profitable venture. There’s money in the minor league team that plays here in my town, but I wouldn’t call these less skilled players a “protected” class because they’re not in competition with major league teams.

There is a valid discussion to be had about income disparity in sports and whether or not it’s something that needs fixing, but your arguments about gender privilege are way off base. If the poor male athlete wishes he could compete with women, he should find like-minded men and women and start a co-ed league; there’s no law preventing such a thing. If enough people want to participate, then he can be a millionaire too. But it’s all about what the market demands, not some imaginary gender protectionism.

11

It’s interesting that you choose, as your example, one of the female athletes who would be most likely to accept a head to head match with a man, and in fact speaks openly about doing so.

12

“A sign that says ‘men only’ looks very different on a bathroom door than a courthouse door.”

13

I think it’s more disinterest than confusion. That or contempt.

14

It’s not privelige. People shell out big bucks to see the very best male athletes play, and to see the very best female athletes play. People aren’t as inclined to shell out big bucks to see good-but-not-great male athletes play. And so far, except for a few unusual cases, people aren’t particularly inclined to shell out big bucks to see the very best female athletes play against male athletes.

If you have a problem with this, blame the market.

15

I have a (male) friend who watches only women’s basketball, because they are not tall enough to slam-dunk, tney have to play basketball “they way it is supposed to be played”.

16

Not that the original post needed any help, but you further lost me with this example.

17

Why does Billy Jean King and Bobby Riggs keep flashing in my mind? :smiley:

18

WTF?

19

In my sport, men and women compete as equals.

And the women kick as much ass as the men!

.

20

While womens tennis is a rare female sport that receives quite a lot of mainstream attention, your statement that it generates more interest than the men’s game is palpably untrue. And let’s face it, the fact that several of the players are easy on the eyes and panty shots are common is one of the reasons it generates interest.

I agree that women’s sports (such as they are ) probably receive more support than skill level or commercial success would merit. But, I think on balance if it gives more athletes the chance to compete, then its a good thing.