Be Careful What You Wish For....

Back in the day when Title 9 became law, my mom was responsible for making my high school add a girls sport because there wasn't as many girls' sports as boys sports.  My high school added girls lacrosse in 1980, so I got to play for 2 years and loved it (*if you make it to the end of this blog, I have a funny Burns' girl story).

Here's a little clip on Title 9 -
"Title IX, a groundbreaking statute intended to end sex discrimination in education, became the law of the land on June 23, 1972. While most famous for its requirement that schools provide girls with equal athletic opportunities, the law applies to all educational programs that receive federal funding, and to all aspects of a school's educational system. Title IX benefits both boys and girls and is the linchpin of 40 years of efforts to promote and establish gender equity in schools."

I definitely agree that we should have all equal number of opportunities to play, but should we get to play everything?  The following is today's story about a girl that won the state wrestling championship in the 106 lb weight class - http://entertainment.msn.com/videopreview/?channelindex=4&from=en-us_msnhpvidmod&form=msnrll#/video/c23783d4-af96-483e-a24a-c77233b51019 - I personally think the newscaster was a little degrading when he opens with notice how she is still girlie as she fluffs her hair and adjusts her outfit = ugh, 5 steps forward 20 steps back.

One of my 15 year old sons recently completed his first year of wrestling.  One of his early matches was against a girl.  My husband and I held our breath the whole time.  If you don't have a boy, you don't know how fragile their 15 year old ego is.......it was uncomfortable.  You teach your boys to not be violent towards women and then they are faced with them in the wrestling ring?  There was inappropriate groping at the very least.  If he had lost, I can't imagine the torture he would have had to endure from his peers. 

So girls get to wrestle because there isn't wrestling for girls.  Okay, so there's no volleyball for boys.  Let's send out some 6'4 boys who didn't make the basketball team and see how the girls volleyball team likes it.........it goes both ways.  There have been some instances of this, but not wide spread enough for it to be news worthy or I should say, "change policy" worthy.  All it will take is one coach to put together a dream team with a few "ringers".  They go on to beat everyone, win a championship and then what is our answer.  I don't think equal is a grey area.  Equal is black and white.

*Being the older, bossier and desperate for awards Burns sister, I highly suggested that the winner of the first year's lacrosse team's MVP should obviously be a senior.  Join me in thanking everyone for  agreeing to that philosophy, so I could eek out the award from my speedy very athletic younger sister.