Let us go forward into a brave new world
… And, yes, it’s welcome back to what some openly refer to as “Misogynists’ Corner” – viz. the sports pages of the Rust.
Yesterday my papers and the media were full of the brilliant performance of one Farron Sherrock who made history of sorts by becoming the first woman to beat a man [Ted Evetts, let him forever hang his head low in shame!] at professional darts in the PDC world championship:
See here for a report on the event by Niall McVeigh as appeared upon the website of – THE GUARDIAN
Separately, last week the England Women’s football captain Steph Houghton admitted that she doesn’t watch much women’s football because she so prefers the men’s version of the game as a spectacle.
She has shipped a mountain of flak since from the sisterhood for “letting the side down” in openly expressing her opinion, but be honest – is there anyone alive who knows anything about football that wouldn’t agree with her?
See here for a report on the story by Jamie Johnson and Molly McElwee that appeared upon the website of the – DAILY TELEGRAPH
For a while now, we on the Rust have been taking the logic of the PC-driven campaign that all women’s sport should be treated equally with men’s to its only logical conclusion.
Which, of course – not to beat about the bush – is that the best (indeed only) way in which true equality for both – or indeed all – genders will ever be obtained is if the world moves to a position in which women’s sport is completely abolished … and every person upon the planet is afforded their ultimate human right which is, of course, to compete alongside each other mano-a-mano (or, rather perhaps, human-to-human?).
Let’s begin with the basics – I’ve never been convinced that in ‘sports’ [I don’t wish to get embroiled here in the debate as to whether they actually qualify as such at all!] such as snooker, darts, shooting and equestrianism there has ever been a requirement, need – or indeed any reason at all – as to why women and men cannot and should not compete together.
Arguably, provided of course that allowance is made for the general weaker strength of women by means such as the already-existing one of having ‘women’s tees’ set closer to the fairway than those of their male counterparts, there is also zero reason why similar should not apply to golf.
It is generally accepted in the world of sports science that the day may not be not far off when which female long-distance runners are quite capable of leaving their male equivalents well behind.
As and when that happens, what are the likely consequences?
Will men begin claiming handicap advantages in order to enable them to compete on equal terms?
Or indeed, begin demanding the right to compete in female marathons, where (say in 2040) the prize-money and sponsorship deals available to female competitors has become several times more lucrative than anything in men’s equivalent events?
Let me get behind my parapet and don my hard hat before suggesting this, but surely logic demands that in sport generally in the 21st Century the case should be made: “You wanted equality, ladies … now you can have it!”
If you think about it – if a lady should ever selected to play central midfield for Manchester City – would anyone begrudge her a weekly wage of £200,000?
Such a development would – at a stroke – certainly put tired old cynical loser male Neanderthals like myself on the spot and probably shut us up!
