Why Do We Have Both Male And Female Athletic Teams?

Sports provide more than an opportunity to show off macho, or macha, abilities. They create an atmosphere that nurtures responsibility, character building, and a dependence on teamwork. Sports also provide an additional avenue for socialization. They help teach children the importance of preparation, practice, and hard work. Kids learn how to compete and to cope with winning and losing. Girls need these things as much as boys.

There are many answers to the question posed in the title. The most obvious answer is that it is the law. Congress passed what is known as Title IX of the Education Amendment Act of 1972. Title IX was way overdue. In a nutshell, it required every school receiving federal funds, in other words every school, to provide the same opportunities for girls to participate in sports as it did for boys. If a school offered 8 sports for boys, they were required to offer 8 sports for girls. It changed competitive sports for high school and college women forever. According to the Independent Women’s Forum, before Title IX only 1 in 27 high school girls participated in organized school sports. In 2016 that number grew to 2 out of 5. During the 1971-72 season, 31,852 women participated in college sports. During the 2019-2020 season, the number of female participants grew to 221,212. This created scholarship opportunities that helped countless women attend college who would have otherwise not been able to attend. Title IX had clearly achieved its intended goal.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, schools started getting pressure to make exceptions for a small minority group. The transgender community, which represents less than 2% of our population, began demanding they be allowed to compete on athletic teams that coincided with their “gender identity”, instead of their actual gender. In a sane world school administrators, presidents of high school athletic associations, the leaders of the NCAA, the International Olympic Committee, and Congress, would have put an immediate end to the movement. Alas, all it took was some name calling, and a few threatening phone calls and letters, to chase our “leaders” under their desks. They decided to throw the safety, and well-being, of our girls under the bus to avoid being called homophobic bigots. So here we are.

It seems obvious to clear minded people that boys should compete against boys, and girls against girls. That ensures that no athlete would be disadvantaged, at least from a biological point of view. The winner(s) would logically be the talented athlete(s) who practiced most, and worked hardest, to defeat their opponents. If an athlete discovered a new training technique that provided an advantage, it was incumbent on competitors to catch up. That is the very essence of competition. But an advantage that is purely biological, can’t be replicated. Biological advantages reduce/remove the opportunity for opponents to succeed. It is a biological fact that the average boy is bigger, stronger, and faster, than the average girl. Boys have bigger hearts, greater lung capacity, more bone density, and more muscle mass than girls. It is unfair to ask girls to do everything they can to be their very best, then force them to compete against bigger, stronger, faster, male athletes.

Thus far I have only addressed the fairness of allowing boys to participate with girls. There is another, equally important, issue. That is the increased chance of injury, both physical and psychological, when girls are forced to compete against boys. It started out with boys only competing in girl’s non contact sports. That was, as we used to say, the camel’s nose under the tent. Boys have now competed on girl’s basketball, field hockey, and volleyball teams. I shudder to think of a 5’4″ 120 pound girl receiving a spike from a 6’2″ 190 pound boy, over the shorter net that is used in girl’s volleyball games. What happens when boys routinely play on those teams as well as soccer, and others? Imagine the emotional damage done when girls know they won’t be able to achieve the dreams they have trained for all of their lives because they will be forced to compete against a biologically advantaged opponent.

Recently, a man won the national championship in the 500 meter women’s freestyle swimming event. The girls who finished 2nd and 3rd had been training their entire lives for this day. They were successful enough to have represented the USA in the Olympics. Unfortunately for them, that wasn’t good enough to beat a man. But theirs weren’t the only sad stories of this event? At least they medaled. The heartbreak cascaded throughout the entire field of competitors. What about the girl who finished 4th? She fell one spot short of a medal. All of her work was for naught. How did she feel? What about the girl who would have finished 8th? The top 8 finishers in the nationals receive the honor of being named an All American She would have won that treasured designation had the man not been allowed to swim? What about her? Has anybody asked that question? I could fill a chapter with examples like this. It is heartbreaking to know this is happening to girls all over the USA.

Most Americans understand the inherent unfairness of allowing boys to compete against girls. If this trend continues we shouldn’t be surprised if the number of girls who participate in sports begins to decline. In fact, there is a small group of zealots who insist that having separate teams for boys and girls is sexist. That having separate teams is admitting girls can’t compete against boys and is the ultimate in sexism. They are advocating for coed teams where boys and girls would try out for each sports team together. Let the better man/woman play. We can laugh this off as crazy. You know, like we did with the idea of boys playing on girl’s teams. I suggest we pay attention. This issue is as simple, or complicated, as you choose to make it. To me it is simple. If you were born a boy you play on boy’s athletic teams. If you were born a girl you play on girl’s athletic teams. It is simple for me because I want to preserve the wonderful benefits of sports for girls.

If you are a concerned parent it is time to stop posting memes on FB, and start sending letters to your school board, and your elected representatives. (For the life of me I don’t understand, why feminists have been so silent). Since 2020, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, Florida, West Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Alabama, have passed laws that keep women’s sports for women only. Many others are taking up the issue. If your state is not on that list it is time for you to quit complaining, and do something to protect our girls. At the bottom of this post you’ll find the template of 3 letters I have prepared to help you get started. Make any changes you would like. Then take copies to your church group, your golf league, your Kiwanis club, etc. We’ve seen how effective we can be when we get together. It is wrong that we force our girls to fight this battle on their own. I also suggest you visit the Independent Women’s Forum website. I hope this post motivates you to get involved in helping our girls. If it did, please tell your friends about it. Thank you for taking the time to read it. Bob The templates I mentioned follow. A letter should go to each of the following: the president of your local school board, your state senator and representative, and your 3 members of Congress.

Senator Krupt (a sample name) This should go to your U.S. Senator and House member

I (we) are writing to ask that you pass legislation that will prohibit those students who were born as boys, from participating on high school and college athletic teams designated for girls, and vice versa. I (we) think it is unfair, and unsafe, to force our girls to compete against boys. Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendment Act gave girls the right to equal opportunity to participate in sports designated specifically for them. Our girls could potentially lose the right to that opportunity if boys are allowed to join their athletic teams. I (we) are also very concerned about the additional risks of injury that must occur when our girls are forced to compete with bigger, faster, stronger, boys. I (we) are asking you to sponsor a bill that will ensure our girls have the same opportunity to compete as do boys. Please let us hear from you on this important issue at your earliest convenience.

We are your voting constituents.

Your name.

State Senator/Representative, I (we) are writing to ask that you pass legislation that will prohibit those students who were born as boys, from participating on high school and college athletic teams designated for girls, and vice versa, in (the name of your state). I (we) think it is unfair, and unsafe, to force girls to compete against boys. Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendment Act gave our girls the right to equal opportunity to participate in sports designated specifically for them. Girls could potentially lose the right to that opportunity if boys are allowed to join their athletic teams. I (we) are also very concerned about the additional risks of injury that must occur when our girls are forced to compete with bigger, faster, stronger, boys. Eight states have already passed legislation that prohibits males at birth from participating on female teams. Many others are beginning the process. I (we) are asking that you sponsor legislation that will add (your state) to that list. Please let me/us hear from you as to how you intend to make this happen. A voting constituent, Your name

Lastly to the school board: Mr./Ms. President, I (we) are writing to you as concerned citizens living in the (name of school district). This letter is written to ask if (your school) allows children born as males to participate on athletic teams specifically designated for females. I (we) want to make it clear we are against allowing boys to participate on our girls athletic teams. Sponsoring girls teams ensures our girls an equal opportunity to participate in school athletics. Girls potentially lose that opportunity when boys are allowed to compete along side of them. I (we) want to be sure that doesn’t happen here at (your school). I (we) are also very worried about the potential for increased injuries should our girls be forced to compete with bigger, faster, stronger, boys. If our school doesn’t allow boys to compete with our girls please consider this a thank you letter. If we do allow boys to compete with girls please let me/us know what you intend to do to correct this dangerous and unfair situation. A taxpaying citizen, Your name

This Post Has 12 Comments

  1. Nancy Archambeau

    On spot again. Thanks for the sample letters.

  2. Bill Rees

    I totally agree. It is discussting to think boys should compete as girls. It should be changed.

  3. Vicki Sherman

    Bravo! I also fail to understand why taking the positions you have taken are viewed by anyone as controversial. Thanks.

    1. bobwolf

      Vicki,
      I am receiving an unusual amount of flack from LGBTQ supporters. They believe my comments are beyond controversial. The term homophobic bigot has reared its ugly head again. It will have the same effect as the other times they called me that. Thanks for your comments.
      Bob

  4. Flash

    Nicely done, Bob!

    1. bobwolf

      Frank,
      Thanks my friend. Bob

  5. Michael Chamberlain

    I believe that those letters should be sent to the NCAA. Watching March Madness they advertise on the Women’s Sports and turn around and allow this. Shame on them for their political correctness.

    1. bobwolf

      Mike,
      If I thought I could get 1,000 people to send letters to the NCAA I would write one. Bob

  6. Erin Reed

    I wholeheartedly disagree with you. Gender is a social construct. Period. Your article is dripping with sexist, homophobic, and transphobic rhetoric. You are deeply misinformed and stuck in gender stereotypes, fear, and hatred. It would do you well to go deeper to understand those that are different than yourself, stop dehumanizing people. Do you personally know anyone who identifies as non- binary or transgender? Get curious, and let your heart guide you. How would you feel if someone you cared about identified as something other than the strict social binary that you subscribe to? As a cisgender woman, I do not now, nor have I ever needed a scared, person such as yourself advocating hatred to protect me, or help me win a sports match. Hate never wins. Please consider embarking on a journey of deeper understanding, curiosity, and love because what you are writing here is completely the opposite.

    1. bobwolf

      Erin,
      Thank you for your comments. I wholeheartedly disagree with you. I do know people who identify as non-binary. I support their right to be whoever they want to be.
      That support ends when they attempt to take opportunities away from others. Apparently you are an exception. There are cisgender women/girls who are losing competitive opportunities to men in sporting matches all over the U.S. Until recently, they have been cowed into silence by the woke, cancel culture, community. Many of them still are. A few brave females are finally reaching out for help. All they’re asking for is the level playing field the law guarantees. There is a reason we have sports teams designated for boys, and others designated for girls. This post was not written in hate. No hate was intended. If you read hate into it, that is on you. I am only responsible for what I write. I can not be responsible for what you read. Thanks again, Bob

  7. Jim madsen

    Thanks Bob for your comments and factual opinions on title 9 and girls high school sports here in Michigan. My wife and others led the the 10 yr fight in “ communities for equity vs
    MHSAA”. Mhsaa chose to appeal their loss all the way to the us Supreme Court. It was handed back agreeing with the lower courts that mhsaa had for years infringed upon equities in womens sports here in Michigan. The fight goes on…. My wife converses weekly with with dinasaurs here in Michigan and through out the country that don’t understand the negative message that is continually sent to our daughters…. Love to talk to you more about it…. Jim madsen

    1. bobwolf

      Jim,
      I would very much like to talk to you and your wife about this very important topic. I am unaware of the MHSAA situation you described. I would like to give you a little information about a failed bill I tried to get finished over 4 years ago. My email address is [email protected]. Let’s see if we can’t combine our resources to benefit our children. Specifically our daughters, and granddaughters. Thanks for taking the time to read, and comment on my blog. They take multiple hours to finish. It is nice to know that someone is reading them. I hope to hear from you soon. Bob

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