Wednesday, 8 July 2009
What the hell is wrong with Palmerston North?
First we have the local Girls high school insisting that its students do not have the right to bare arms at the school dance, next up we have the local netball association saying women can't wear shorts while playing the game. I happen to think netball is a bit naff and a throw back to when ladies were seen as being too delicate to play basketball but surely we have moved on enough to let grown women wear shorts if they so desire.
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9 comments:
"I happen to think netball is a bit naff and a throw back to when ladies were seen as being too delicate to play basketball but surely we have moved on enough to let grown women wear shorts if they so desire"
Hmmm, Netball's a pretty tough sport at the top levels, most of the women I know who play are bloody tough characters. Still, I understand the point you're making.
My nieces cant stand netball, not physical or exciting enough.
If you ever get to catch a WNBA game (The woman's version of the NBA) it makes netball look like tiddlywinks.
Those professional female basketballers run rings around our netball ladies.
I agree - I will never forget my first game of netball as a kid - having to stand passively next to a girl while she threw the ball for coming within 1m of her during the game. Ladies must remain demure and gentle, even while playing sport. I gave up netball at the end of the season and have done boxing ever since!
Forcing young girls, and women, to wear skirts for sport was not only impractical and cold, it felt bloody pervy. Having to be constantly worried about your knickers showing meant losing focus on the game.
I cheered when I saw the White Ferns had moved to the tracksuit bottoms the boys are allowed to wear.
I'd also like to point out how offensive it is for young ladies to be forced to wear short skirts for sport when they hit puberty, because not all of us instantly learn how to use tampons.
I didn't think this was a debate about the merits of netball but rather about a sporting body trying to impose a dress code on its players. I would have thought that encouraging women, of any age, to be playing any sport, netball included, was a good thing and that putting impediments in their way was unhelpful.
BTW - nothing wrong with Palmy - I suspect the impact of being in the Dom Post circulation area and having their own afternoon paper means issues such as the shorts/skirts debate get a much bigger public hearing than they would elsewhere.
Palmerston North is a lost cause ... just ignore it.
There's a lot wrong with Palm Nth - and I speak as one who lived there for nearly ten years in the 90s. It's really small town masquerading as a city. My daughter lives near there now, so I visit reasonably often. I spent a week there in May. It still doesn't impress me. I'm sure it's fine if you like small towns.
Netball is certainly not ladylike any more (if it ever was). Girls (and women, and boys, and men) should be encouraged to play any sport, and should be allowed to wear clothing that makes it comfortable for them to do so.
Sexist sports coverage alert
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10583981
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