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Since when is a 3-point-shot worth 4 points in basketball? Apparently since CU has had an intramural basketball program. Changing the rules when girls are playing is insulting and extremely sexist.
Each shot counts for one more point than the regular rules of the game call for. Even a free throw is worth two points for girls.
In addition to scoring, guys are not allowed to shoot in the lane, nor can they block a shot made by a girl.
So girls can’t score as many points as the guys?
Last week there was a WNBA game between the Seattle Storm and the Phoenix Mercury with a 91-88 final score. The last NBA game played was the championship game in June between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers, which ended at 83-79. WNBA players do not receive 3 points for making a lay-up and yet there is a minute difference.
I cannot deny that many of the male players are going to be larger both in height and weight than the girls. However, size does not mean advantage. Aggressive, quick defensive skill will always do the trick. Therefore it is entirely unfair for the males to not be able to shoot in the lane and tells girls that they aren’t skilled enough to guard them.
One of the most sexist rules of the co-ed intramurals is that guys cannot, at any place on the court, block a girls’ shot. I have watched some of these games in which a female makes a great drive into the lane all to meet up with the last defender, a male, who can’t do anything besides put his hands straight up. What a buzz kill! One of the most satisfying parts of basketball is getting to the bucket with your best moves and laying it up and under that last defender drawing the and-one.
The rule seems to say that girls aren’t capable of such a move.
We are in college. We sign up to play intramurals for fun, often with good friends. If guys are still unable to pass to girls without the incentive of additional points and rules, sexism on campus must be thriving.
Guys who are unable to play equally with girls should sign up for men’s league! Girls who want to play the real game of basketball don’t have a choice but to sign up for the women’s league. Welcome to sex segregation.
Women and men are far from equal in the sports world. There are still sports that women are excluded from, and ticket sales sky rocket for the guys, leading to much higher salaries.
Steps toward equality in sports can start here. The rules for intramurals in basketball do not need to change to encourage girls to play or convince the guys to pass to them. Girls can play and they should be able to have fun in intramurals, free of sexism.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Morgan Aguilar at Morgan.aguilar@colorado.edu.
4 comments
As a confirmed, rabid feminist who is old enough to have actually been there for the start of 2nd wave feminism, someone old enough to have actually watched the famous tennis match where Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in 1973, well before most of your readers were born (IOW: I’m a boomer), I couldn’t agree with you more. When I was in high school, there were “women’s rules” for basketball even in gym class, and they were stupid then and I agree with you anything of the sort is stupid — and very, very sexist — now.
And how refreshing to see a man complaining about sexism and the article doesn’t turn out to be a complaint that he and his gender are being asked to give up some of their white male privilege and they’d really rather not, thank you very little. Well done.
“size does not mean advantage” I would like you to tell that to people that have gone up against the biggest men in the NBA .The most prolific scorers in NBA history are some of the tallest players in the game. Kareem, Karl Malone, Shaq. Find out how far down the list a point guard is. Even the most dominate women in the WNBA are the bigger than most of the other players; Lisa Leslie, Tina Charles and Britney Griener in the NCAA.
“guys cannot, at any place on the court, block a girls’ shot” WNBA Players aren’t going up against guys that are at least 6 icnhes taller and 50 pounds heavier. Could you really see Diana Taurasi getting a lay-up in over Dwight Howard?
Most of the rules are in place jsut to protect girls. The rule that guys cant shoot in the lane is because that is the point when players are most out of control and going full speed at a girl standing there isnt safe for anyone.
A guy jumping two to three feet in the air to block a girls shot could end up with him coming down on her, straight down, and landing on her. Its not a rule meant to help girls but rather to protect them.
” girls aren’t capable of such a move.” “ticket sales sky rocket for the guys, leading to much higher salaries. ”
You pretty much prove it for us. Girls arent capable of making the same moves because they do not have same ability to jump and make a good move. Why do you think everytime a girl dunks it makes sportscenter? its just not a common occurance in women’s basketball. If girls could dunk on a regular basis maybe the disparity in ticket prices and salries wouldnt be there.
First off, lets arm wrestle, I bet 100,000 dollars I win. Guys are stronger than girls period. It is just the way nature made us. Basketball is a contact sport contrary to popular belief, do you really want a guy driving in the lane plowing over a 120 pound girl?? Guess who would win (see arm wrestling comment). Men are more equipped to play sports than girls, the fact that they are awarded more points for a shot is an attempt to actually let them have an impact on the game. I’d love to see a girl try to defend a guy that has 60 pounds on her and 4% body fat compared to 26%, guys can just dominate the game without including the girls if they wanted. The fact of the matter is, you can either accept actually getting a chance to play, or not play at all. WNBA is way slower in play, lets see the lakers go up against the storm ha, it would be silly to think the lakers would get beat. How much do you know about basketball anyway? Im guessing nothing, cause im an avid basketball fan, and your facts are wrong.
Miss Morgan,
You have wonderful points. Definitely an eye opener for many.