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Amazing that we still do not have true competition today. Why are male/female still separated? Not related to this article but it is interesting that we have th

by emjoes1 10y ago

Amazing that we still do not have true competition today. Why are male/female still separated? Not related to this article but it is interesting that we have this form of segregation today - NBA & WNBA, etc. Is this and testing in itself sexism?

throwaway2016a 10y ago
I think that question can be answered empirically. If you start with the assumption that players of both gender's push themselves to the maximum they can (i.e. they don't stop just because they are "good enough") then it's a matter of measurement... Take the max/mean/median/mode of a random sample of the stats you can find broken down by gender. If the female stats are close to the male stats then segmentation in that sport is probably artificial. However, my hypothesis (and I may get down-voted for this) is that for many sports the increased weight, height, and arm/leg length will provide an unfair advantage. I think your WNBA/NBA example may be a good example. But like all hypothesis it would need to be tested. Then we have the sports where there are no female leagues at all... for those, woman should at least be allowed to try out for the teams.
- dmarcos 10y ago
  I've played soccer in a co-ed league and I could see ways to bring it to professional team sports. Imagine mixed gender leagues of basketball or soccer where you need a certain quota of men/women per team. That would balance things out. I really think it could be fun to watch.
rabboRubble 10y ago
Think about men's boxing... What sort of fight is possible between a flyweight and heavy weight boxer? The flyweight may land good shots since that fighter will be faster on his feet, but the heavy weight boxer needs only to land a decent blow, and the flyweight is out. Men and women are structurally different. Few sports feature an advantage for a woman's smaller size, shorter reach, and muscle fat ratio. I think rock climbing is one of those sports? Anyway, I think it's awesome that women's sports have developed so much in my lifetime. Sporting scholarships are available for young women now and allowing a whole class of women access to higher education. I'm a terrible couch potato, but had I been athletically inclined, there would not have been the opportunities during my childhood as there are today.

by emjoes1 10y ago

throwaway2016a 10y ago

I think that question can be answered empirically. If you start with the assumption that players of both gender's push themselves to the maximum they can (i.e. they don't stop just because they are "good enough") then it's a matter of measurement... Take the max/mean/median/mode of a random sample of the stats you can find broken down by gender. If the female stats are close to the male stats then segmentation in that sport is probably artificial. However, my hypothesis (and I may get down-voted for this) is that for many sports the increased weight, height, and arm/leg length will provide an unfair advantage. I think your WNBA/NBA example may be a good example. But like all hypothesis it would need to be tested. Then we have the sports where there are no female leagues at all... for those, woman should at least be allowed to try out for the teams.

dmarcos 10y ago
I've played soccer in a co-ed league and I could see ways to bring it to professional team sports. Imagine mixed gender leagues of basketball or soccer where you need a certain quota of men/women per team. That would balance things out. I really think it could be fun to watch.

rabboRubble 10y ago

Think about men's boxing... What sort of fight is possible between a flyweight and heavy weight boxer? The flyweight may land good shots since that fighter will be faster on his feet, but the heavy weight boxer needs only to land a decent blow, and the flyweight is out. Men and women are structurally different. Few sports feature an advantage for a woman's smaller size, shorter reach, and muscle fat ratio. I think rock climbing is one of those sports? Anyway, I think it's awesome that women's sports have developed so much in my lifetime. Sporting scholarships are available for young women now and allowing a whole class of women access to higher education. I'm a terrible couch potato, but had I been athletically inclined, there would not have been the opportunities during my childhood as there are today.