We need games that are actually designed to be played by men and women [together] where they are in some way on equal footing. There are very, very few sports that exist right now that are like that
Season 5, Episode 3 — Click here to download the transcript
Also click here for my proposal for castleball, a team sport intended for co-ed play
In a 2015 TED Talk, Michael Kimmel argues that gender equality provides many benefits for both men and women. His claims draw from several psychological studies that societies with the greatest gender equality are happier and have reduced strife, that businesses would be more efficient and experience less turnover and job dissatisfaction, and family life would be more stable and balanced. However, for all the talk about gender equality as a goal, progress is lacking. The pressures on the commercial sector and families under the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic have only made inequality more explicit. Many professions and vocations see persistent inequities between men and women in pay, advancement opportunities, and prestige.
One opportunity to rectify this situation and encourage greater gender equity is sport. The benefits of organized sport (i.e., sporting events implemented and governed by an organization) are many, including the promotion of teamwork, fostering healthy habits, improved self-esteem, and ultimately living longer. Unfortunately, while there are some sports that are played at a high level by men and women, there are very few that are truly co-ed. The few existing co-ed sports don’t garner much attention such as mixed-doubles tennis or korfball, while sports that are played by both men and women separately see the women’s variants being considered inferior due to the innate designs of the sports that emphasize masculinity — power and upper body strength — making co-ed variants difficult to play without a lot of arcane, confusion rules.
In this episode, I argue that we need new co-ed sports designed to emphasize the capabilities that men and women share more equally, while being a fast-paced exciting game that spectators can enjoy.
Also click here for my proposal for castleball, a team sport intended for co-ed play
Works Referenced:
Bahn, K. (2020, July 13). How racial and gendered pay discrimination persists under monopsony in the United States. Washington Center for Equitable Growth.
Kimmel, M. (2015, September 17). Why gender equality Is good for everyone—Men Included. TED Talks.
ODPHP (2012, May 30). The benefits of sports aren’t just physical! Health.gov. — This is a blog post linking to several studies listing various social, academic, and lifelong benefits of playing sports in high school.
