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bringing the students of "Women in Sport" together... electronically
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4 comments:
After reading the comments that people left on the page of the previous link, I was surprised by what people had to say. Some comments were about how in a few years the boys would have physically matured more and she would no longer be as successful against the boys. Other people wrote about how feminists would be upset if the situation was reversed and a boy was playing on a girl’s sports team and making girls cry. While reading and watching the video this thought didn’t come across my mind, but after reading the comments I started to wonder how the media would cover a similar situation but reversed. I’m not sure if a male would be allowed to play on an all girls team. I have never heard of such an event happening before. Why don’t we ever hear stories about boys wanting to play on all girl teams? Would society accept it or would the boy be rudely labeled? Would it ever be possible for women and men to play on professional teams together? This just proves that our society is still too focused on gender restrictions, which hinder advancements in ending sexual oppression greatly.
-Chelseah Murphy
KIN 338I T/Th 9:30-10:45
This kid is remarkable! i do believe that she has a bright career ahead of her but also a challenging one if she continues with her success. Being that she is a female athlete she will experience her success in a way that is opposed by her male counterpart. In a sense, I do feel sorry for her because her success sits in the middle of male and female competition. And for us, as a society, you have to either weigh in on the feminine side or the masculine side or be in boys leagues or girls leagues. Up until today, you see peaks of women breaking male records and edging themselves into the realm and competition of males but this is where all the scrutiny starts. This type of negative attention sometimes make these amazing and athletic women athletes back off because they don't want to be shed in a dark light. I can only hope that Chelsea Baker turns her head and shake off all the negativity that might prevent her from further succeeding. I hope she uses it as a stepping stone to further her success and career and she breaks more records as she is an icon and someone we should be proud of and look up to as women in sports. She shouldn't go unnoticed for accomplishment of being placed in baseball's hall of fame but I can bank on it that she won't get as much recognition as she needs to help further women and encourage them in sport.
Jameelah Flynn
KIN 338I TTh 9:30-10:45 a.m.
Being a softball player myself, I never really understood why some girls wanted to play baseball instead of softball. I always saw little league as softball’s competitors, the ones that always beat out softball for air time on ESPN when it came down to nationals and big tournaments. After now meeting some girls that started their careers in baseball, I realized that there are several reasons for a girl to do baseball instead, such as lack of resources or to keep baseball in the family. I am very impressed that this young woman has made such a name for herself. That is incredible that she was put into the hall of fame. I noticed that they put her in the section under the importance of women in sport. I don’t know if this is my cynical ways talking, but I almost took that as a back-handed compliment. She got put into the hall of fame, but not in comparison to, or in the same section as the boys. I find it rude some of the comments that were being made too. One person made a comment about her making the boys cry and thinking it was funny. She is a 13 year old girl; of course she is going to think it is funny. The boys are probably not even crying because they got struck out, they are crying because they got struck out by a girl. I even find that funny because they don’t cry if they get struck out by another boy. They are taught that they will get teased or made fun of if a girl can beat them at something. All in all, they are just kids, it has no underlying meaning. There was one comment made about how her success will be limited once the boys catch up with her, and I must say I agree to a certain extent. I do not think that her ability to play will be any less, but her opportunities will be considerably less. My boyfriend’s sister started out playing baseball as a child; she was taught by boys and played just as well as them. As she got older, however, her only logical pathway was to switch to softball. She adjusted well and ended up with a scholarship to play at the University of Oklahoma with my sister. She is the best hitter that I have ever seen play the game and set all kinds of records and received several honors. Everyone who watches her play makes comments about how she “plays like a baseball player”, almost in shock at the style differences. I think it is unique and amazing how she turned the disadvantage of being a female baseball player into such a great career as a softball player. Now, she plays professional softball, not being paid as much as a professional baseball player would, obviously, but that is how society has worked out for women in softball and baseball. It is sad, but I hope that the little girl in the article can maybe make new strides for girls in baseball. I think it is rude how people who made comments on the article think it is a big joke. Making comments about how she can’t write her name in the snow. Well the rest of her team can’t give child birth, seems a bit more important and just as irrelevant, but still no mention of that in any comments. I also thought that it was true and shocking that one of the comments was about how if this was a boy excelling at what would usually be considered a female sport or activity, you would not see this being played up how it is. I found this article interesting and exciting, but I almost found the comments from the readers more interesting and controversial still.
-Amanda Allen
kin338I tu/th 9:30-10:45
Without question, Chealsea Baker's two perfect games were both incredible feats and warranted some form of recognition, but to put a 13 year old child (whether male or female) in the Baseball Hall of Fame seems pretty rediculous to me. Granted, I have never thrown a perfect game and I am sure that many people out there have not either, but the Baseball Hall of Fame is a place reserved for people who revolutionized the sport, broke down barriers, or achieved amazing success in their careers at the highest level of competition the sport of baseball has to offer.
As far as the interview itself, I thought it was interesting how the interviewer asked if any of the parents heckled her after she struck out one of their kids. More surprising to me was that Chealsea said they did! What kind of parent, better yet, what kind of adult does that? That speaks to the deep seeded social constructs and gender norms embedded in our society. She is just another child competing and excelling at a game. The embarrassment felt by the parents is self-imposed through the archaic idea that all men are athletically superior to all women.
Juan Favela
Kin338I Sec 1
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