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Women’s gymnastics is legal child abuse

thecorrespondent.com

71–80 of 91 posts

Re: Women’s gymnastics is legal child abuse

#71
post #24

One thing that always surprises me about gymnastics is how inherently sexist it is. For nearly all sports, the male version of the sport is identical to the female version. Maybe women don't lift as much, don't run quite as fast, or do shorter distances (like in speed skating), but the basics of the sport are the same. Not so in gymnastics: men and women do entirely different things. Men are all about upperbody stren…

>One thing that always surprises me about gymnastics is how inherently sexist it is. For nearly all sports, the male version of the sport is identical to the female version. Maybe women don't lift as much, don't run quite as fast, or do shorter distances (like in speed skating), but the basics of the sport are the same.

The rule differences between ice hockey for men and women are such that I've heard it said that they might as well be different sports.

Re: Women’s gymnastics is legal child abuse

#72
post #5

It seems like a good first step would be to set the minimum age to compete at world championships or the olympics at 16 or 17 or maybe even 20. Then delaying puberty wouldn't be a thing because everyone will have passed it.

At what age should a kid be allowed to buy a skateboard?

Re: Women’s gymnastics is legal child abuse

#73
post #5

It seems like a good first step would be to set the minimum age to compete at world championships or the olympics at 16 or 17 or maybe even 20. Then delaying puberty wouldn't be a thing because everyone will have passed it.

At what age should a kid be allowed to buy a skateboard?

Whatever age the parents can afford comprehensive health insurance at...

Re: Women’s gymnastics is legal child abuse

#74
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At what age should a kid be allowed to buy a skateboard?

Whatever age the parents can afford comprehensive health insurance at...

Well my parents didn't do that and I still got a skateboard.

Re: Women’s gymnastics is legal child abuse

#75
post #61
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Didnt that change 2012 Olympics?

Yes leggins are allowed now....

https://www.bustle.com/articles/171814-what-is-the-2016-olym...

"beach volleyball players are now also allowed to wear shorts and a top. While the top can be sleeved or sleeveless, the shorts are limited to a maximum length of three centimeters (1.18 inches) above the knee"

As far as I can see in that article, the dress code is now very similar between the gender in what they are allowed to wear (through it is possible that male players can go topless?).

Re: Women’s gymnastics is legal child abuse

#76
post #24

One thing that always surprises me about gymnastics is how inherently sexist it is. For nearly all sports, the male version of the sport is identical to the female version. Maybe women don't lift as much, don't run quite as fast, or do shorter distances (like in speed skating), but the basics of the sport are the same. Not so in gymnastics: men and women do entirely different things. Men are all about upperbody stren…

> What if a female gymnast wants to do the horizontal bar or other "male" events?

The same thing that happens if I want to be a movie star or heiress.

Re: Women’s gymnastics is legal child abuse

#77
post #15
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It sounds like you might have the experience required to explain what is different about men's gymnastics that causes it to not have this same youth bias?

No amount of verbal abuse is going to make a 15-year-old boy as strong as a 25-year-old man.

But why is strength important for male gymnastics but not for women gymnastics? The argument for women's gymnastics was that they are smaller and lighter weight and thereby can do crazier stunts... doesn't that apply to men? It just sounds like there is something fundamentally different to the sports themselves that I am not understanding as someone who knows nothing about either.

Re: Women’s gymnastics is legal child abuse

#78
post #24

One thing that always surprises me about gymnastics is how inherently sexist it is. For nearly all sports, the male version of the sport is identical to the female version. Maybe women don't lift as much, don't run quite as fast, or do shorter distances (like in speed skating), but the basics of the sport are the same. Not so in gymnastics: men and women do entirely different things. Men are all about upperbody stren…

The flexibility at least is a play to strengths in one of the few areas where men were at a disadvantage athletically. Women on average are more flexible and their lower spines retain more juvenile flexible as it is useful for a shift in center of mass with pregnancy. Upper body strength was the male answer for "what can they do which is more impressive if they are higher mass and worse at physical flexibility"? The why may have something to do with performance peaks attracting more attention for a sport (I would have expected at least a niche for upper body strength events for women and flexibility for men) but that could also be a chicken and egg thing with culture.

There certainly is sexist baggage involving women being considered more "ornamental" though.

Re: Women’s gymnastics is legal child abuse

#79
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Men in general don't like to perform to music, or see no need for it, as you say "biologicaly". Women on the other hand like it, "biologicaly" as you say. Yeah, that is why male dancers and male dancing is non-existend worldwide. Or otherwise said, can you prove it is "biological" rather then cultural?

How many males do you know how genuienly like dancing? You are picking a small population of males and generlizing to all of them. Most males have no interest in dancing. Nothing wrong if you do, but most don't.

I see you’ve never heard of the country of India among many many others.

What you are describing is machismo Americana, not men.

Re: Women’s gymnastics is legal child abuse

#80
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm the same. My son struggled with his motor skills when he was little so we got him interested in gymnastics and he loves it and it's really helped. I'd like to do the same for my daughter when she's old enough but I'd hope she doesn't want go into competition. She also likes dance so that might be a better option.

FYI, Dance can have similar problems. I’m convinced a world reknowned ballet school had a major negative psychological effect on someone I know. Not sure how common that is in lesser schools, but something to be mindful of.

Yeah, I'm just thinking that dance seems less about the competition than gymnastics, so might be a healthier atmosphere.

Our gymnastics club has a kind of parkour club which seems more about having fun and being active which I think me might move my son to when he's old enough.

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