Kim Greenhouse shares a real life story of what happened during her experience on the girls tennis team at Beverly Hills High-school after having been a tournament tennis player since age 9. She was thinking about all of the conflicts going on about gender, boys in girls sports, boys asserting they are girls in girls or women’s’ sports and the entire DEI battles going on in the USA. In this short video clip, Kim reflects the fact that she was present when initial seeding of these social experiments began. Don’t miss this contemplative short video.
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This subject is very close to home for me. Growing up with three brothers (no sisters) I was considered, “one of the boys” in my family. Being athletic, I wanted nothing more than to play on my brother’s youth sports teams. In the 60’s & 70’s girls were not allowed to play in boys leagues and did not have leagues of their own. I sat in the bleachers, practically every weekend, watching my brother’s play while knowing I was better than most of their teammates at almost every sport. Boys my age always included me in their after school sports activities (at the park or homes), so they clearly had no problem competing with an athletic girl. I honestly believed girls were not allowed to participate because certain boy’s parents were afraid athletic girls would outplay & embarrass their sons. But, I felt those boys likely knew they did not belong and likely did not even want to play. So these parents were doing their child a disservice, whether girls played on their teams or not.
One’s gender should not be a factor in determining one’s ability or inclusiveness. I played women’s volleyball in high school and college, but always felt I missed out on team sports throughout my adolescence. So unlike you, my friend, I absolutely 100% would have chosen to be on the boys tennis team if I was given the opportunity. Being given the choice growing up was all I ever wanted.
Dear Cynthia,
Thank you for taking the time to comment here. We really appreciate it and hope more people participate.
When you write that “they had no problem competing with an athletic girl” remember, you wrote above that you were invited to participate in after school sports with the boys.
1. What if you had the chance to play the same sport on a girls team, would you have turned it down and played on the boys team instead?
2. Tennis, is not really a team sport unless one is playing doubles. Would you still have elected to play on the boys team if you were not invited by them and if the girls team was available and tournament tennis players on the girls team?
3. If you were in love with a boy on the boys team, would you want to play against him and beat the hell out of him if he is not a ranked tournament tennis player and not of your caliber of seasoned player?
4. Now, about the parents’ part of what you wrote. You assert that the parents who had concerns about girls beating boys in sports did a disservice to the girls. Can you explain more of that for us?
5. When you write ones gender should not be a factor in determining ones ability or inclusiveness. I think many understand one part of this as a general understanding, however, when you bring up inclusiveness, does this include bathrooms too?
6. Do you believe or feel men and women are culturally and physically different?
Thank you.
1. I would have chosen the team that best matched my ability.
2. Absolutely, yes.
3. Yes. I would choose to play on his team. It would afford us time together doing something we both love. He would already know I’m the better player, so by playing on his team, I could help elevate his level of performance as well as improve his team’s standing. Most importantly, I want to be with someone who respects and appreciates my aptitude.
4. Girls should have been given the same opportunities as the boys when we were raised. Sadly, most adults didn’t agree, for reasons like gender inequality.
5. No, I was not referring to bathrooms. I was referring to sports teams. However, I’m in favor of gender neutral bathrooms.
6. Men & women are physically different but cultural expectations lead to gender inequality and discrimination. Gendered beliefs restrict one’s potential and perpetuate stereotypes.