Imagine this, could this be your daughter or son?

 

   Recently I took part in this discussion, feeling very strongly that offering my comments and view would give light that others would not imagine.  So the question is "Why would girls want to wrestle against boys?" "I am a strong supporter of athletics but this just seems obvious or does it?"

  The discussion covered a situation; a young man forfeited his chance at winning a wrestling competition, because he had to wrestle a girl. It received a great amount of publicity and controversy. I began to debate the true issue or the true reasoning behind what to me seemed to be such a simple situation.

  I offered my initial comment; I would look at it from a professional view, if they are trained correctly and truly are about the sport then it is the skill being tested not the gender. In most school settings from the beginning of sports interactions, both girls and boys have at one time played a sport of some kind on the same team.  Even in a leisure setting; the park, a family picnic, a summer day at the lake, I have witnessed a friendly game of tag foot ball, basket ball or some type of contact activity between boys and girls.

   I followed with; having a daughter who has joined our armed forces have thought of many avenues; settings, or circumstances, that would place her as a woman in a compromising situation, I only have faith that I as a parent have taught her and provided her with the mental capacity to make decisions and placement in situations that are based on the whole picture, but such is life and yes things do happen that we cannot plan or even imagine Now she goes as a woman to make the choices and to handle the situation fully armed not only to defend herself but women and our Nation.

  Others commented; “I would never let my daughter wrestle against males. The moves and holds they have to do are in no way appropriate for a male to do to a female. The male forfeiting showed a great deal of respect for her as a young woman. I totally agree with the previous comment. It was very sad to see that GENTLEMAN loses his championship shot due to the other team putting a female between him and his goal. He did the absolute right thing and let her win by forfeit. I feel sorry for him in a way as the other coach should never have allowed girls on a boy’s team.”

    So I think to myself; is it the thought that is inappropriate; have we become a society that reads into every physical situation that  sex is the motive; that a simple maneuver is considered groping and invasion of a females personal space?

  I wish I could have truly been the fly on that wall; did the families of the wrestling team get involved initially, allowing this young lady to be on the team, what was the schools position, what about the fellow team members, what about the girl herself, what if , what if,  how come?

  As a parent of two boys and one girl, I have tried throughout their lives to treat them and teach them equally.  I pride myself on the moral basics and the faith that each of them as individuals will make the correct choices and decisions.  In all honesty though; I feel, that life is changing and that every situation is just that an opportunity to make a choice at that time.  There is only so much planning ahead one can make but it takes just an instance for change to make a difference.   I still hold very strong to my belief that if this young lady was instructed and possessed the skill to wrestle in any situation then skill is the determining factor and not gender!

   So I present to you the reader the following questions; "What would your opinion or decision be if your daughter was on a wrestling team of all boys, would you let her wrestle, does gender matter, who is responsible for the issues that arise, you as a parent, the school, the team, the coach?" The questions are endless as do I think the answers or comments will be