Why do women play football and hockey in the US, and the argument “well, you're a girl!” Does not work

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The other day I worked directly on two plots that relate to gender issues. The first is about a recent case in Google. One of the already ex-engineers of the "corporation of good" wrote that women are not biologically suitable for programming, which caused a huge scandal.

She spoke about this with a colleague, a typical Republican: white, 60 years, from the southeastern state. He not only agreed with the engineer Google but also complained that he himself faced discrimination at work. They say that he is a white man, and a black woman received a promotion on one of his previous works - precisely because of who she is and not for her professional qualities.

And here is another colleague, a young black guy from a so-called multicultural environment Washington area,He said that in his opinion, girls cannot compete with guys in physical strength, but in matters of mental work there can be no gender restrictions.

My second material on gender roles in society was about the American-Ukrainian women's hockey tournament. How many skeptical comments I heard about the very idea of ​​girls with sticks on the ice ... Mostly from familiar male Ukrainians.

Most simply did not believe that it was even possible. Some said that women's sports will never be so massive and will not bring so much money. Maybe. But chess, for example, is also less popular than football. So, not to spend the championships in chess?

But the very second colleague cheered. Like, women's sport is sometimes much more entertaining. For example, he is more interested in watching women's football, because girls play more technically and less “draw”.

I used to hear that in America, European football (Friendly) is often considered women's sports. I do not agree, because I personally met many Americans of my generation, who watch football or play themselves. You can always see amateur teams on the green lawns in front of the Capitol or the White House. But more and more often girls play with the guys.

American parents teach children to do what they want, regardless of “what will people say?”. The same can be said about hockey. When I was making the plot, I learned that 73000 women are now engaged in this sport in the USA. Girls play professionally from childhood, like boys. There are children's, youth and youth tournaments. In 1998, women's hockey appeared in the program of the Winter Olympics, and since then the US team has returned home each time with medals.

The girl involved in field hockey, golf, boxing, has long been not surprising in the United States. Because American parents teach children to do what they want, regardless of "and what will people say?".

According to my observations, compared with the Ukrainian one, the American youth doesn’t hurt the condemnation of the people. They are egoists, mostly in the good sense of the word.

They are not afraid to be themselves, dream big, that is, to dream big, and therefore boldly challenge the prevailing notions, in particular, about what "should" be done for girls, and what for guys. Now, remember how in Soviet schools even left-handed people retrained to write with their right hand so that it was “like everyone else,” not to mention the constant emphasizing gender differences.

I was convinced that sexism in the United States also exists. However, its manifestations are increasingly considered something indecent, they try not to advertise. Therefore, civil society less and less perceived discrimination.

How to find out what is the manifestation of sexism? Since university years, I remembered at least two ways.

1. Check as needed in the story indicate the gender, describe the appearance, age, marital status. An overweight nutritionist, an official in colored socks - interesting details. But if, for example, the article talks about a scientist who has made a breakthrough in treating a disease, how important is she, blonde or brunette, what is her posture, does she have a husband and children?

2. In the description of a person of the same sex substitute the opposite. “A spectacular, slender businesswoman who, at 33, manages a multinational company and manages to support a family with her architect husband and two sons,” would a business magazine write about a man?

“Well, you're a girl, clean it up in your room,” - these words have annoyed me since childhood. First, do we choose whom to be born? And secondly, to live in the dirt or in cleanliness is the choice of every person, regardless of gender. Both in Ukraine and in America I saw perfectly clean houses in guys and a terrible mess in girls. It is not gender that affects it.

Women are half of humanity. But their achievements or hobbies are still often surprising, as if this is something supernatural. Therefore, girls need to play hockey or football, or box, as well as guys - to cross-stitch or play the harp, if it brings them joy.

I hope, over time, the Ukrainians will come to the same thing as the Americans: more often support the initiatives of other people, and leave negative and skeptical comments with you.

Column posted on blogs Ukrainian service Голоса America. Translation of the blog has prepared the edition “New time".

Published with permission of the author and publication.