Are sporting events for women a good idea?
I was talking to my husband the other day. He loves chess and keeps up with competitions. While we were talking, he mentioned that there’s a women’s league, though women can also play against men in the “regular” games. Men cannot compete in the women’s league.
This information made me uncomfortable. It seems condescending on a structural level, like society has determined that women need their own league so they’ll have a shot at winning. Most sports do this, as far as I know. That it’s done in chess, where there is no physical advantage, was still shocking to me. Imagine if we had a Black chess league to give Black people a shot at winning…is this really so different? In athletics there’s always been a separation based on known physical differences between male and female strength & power. Olympic records & times continue to prove the contrast, although the performance gap may be narrowing for some team sports. I played NCAA womens basketball for 2 years, and I know it allowed me and other players to compete and show excellence at our own level without being dominated by men. But when it comes to non-athletic intellectual competition like this chess league, the separation seems silly and unfair.
It’s like segregating women scientists, teachers, doctors, or attorneys. My own feeling is let me use my mind and play the game. I promise I won’t steal your balls. Chess has a long history, and the competitive level is very high. That there are fewer female grandmasters is certainly a cultural artifact, influenced by history, access and various social factors. It is acceptable to have a women’s competition, until such time as it is not needed. The goal is to increase the level of competition, and inspire girls to take up chess. Don’t think of it as condescending. It’s justice. We could just write off larger part of female athletes because they would lose at this event or that versus men, but instead we made a system that celebrates female athletes at all levels. We have made a space for women to grow without men beating them out for rebounds and roster spots. The strength and character you gain from sport, and even the dreams of college scholorships, professional athletics, and lucrative endorsement deals are accessible to all our little girls now. In such sports as it is not necessary by all means, integrate. Except curling. Having a men’s, women’s and mixed competition, though asinine, means more curling, which is good for everyone. It’s odd to me in a competition that is all about brain power if it’s at a pro level. If it’s not a serious competition, like just some local thing where it also involves people socializing, I think it’s fine. When women start winning championships in the men’s league then the women’s league should be disbanded. Until then, why not allow women to achieve recognition in their own league?
This information made me uncomfortable. It seems condescending on a structural level, like society has determined that women need their own league so they’ll have a shot at winning. Most sports do this, as far as I know. That it’s done in chess, where there is no physical advantage, was still shocking to me. Imagine if we had a Black chess league to give Black people a shot at winning…is this really so different? In athletics there’s always been a separation based on known physical differences between male and female strength & power. Olympic records & times continue to prove the contrast, although the performance gap may be narrowing for some team sports. I played NCAA womens basketball for 2 years, and I know it allowed me and other players to compete and show excellence at our own level without being dominated by men. But when it comes to non-athletic intellectual competition like this chess league, the separation seems silly and unfair.
It’s like segregating women scientists, teachers, doctors, or attorneys. My own feeling is let me use my mind and play the game. I promise I won’t steal your balls. Chess has a long history, and the competitive level is very high. That there are fewer female grandmasters is certainly a cultural artifact, influenced by history, access and various social factors. It is acceptable to have a women’s competition, until such time as it is not needed. The goal is to increase the level of competition, and inspire girls to take up chess. Don’t think of it as condescending. It’s justice. We could just write off larger part of female athletes because they would lose at this event or that versus men, but instead we made a system that celebrates female athletes at all levels. We have made a space for women to grow without men beating them out for rebounds and roster spots. The strength and character you gain from sport, and even the dreams of college scholorships, professional athletics, and lucrative endorsement deals are accessible to all our little girls now. In such sports as it is not necessary by all means, integrate. Except curling. Having a men’s, women’s and mixed competition, though asinine, means more curling, which is good for everyone. It’s odd to me in a competition that is all about brain power if it’s at a pro level. If it’s not a serious competition, like just some local thing where it also involves people socializing, I think it’s fine. When women start winning championships in the men’s league then the women’s league should be disbanded. Until then, why not allow women to achieve recognition in their own league?
