Should School Girls Be Included in Guys Sports Teams?

Gender parity is evident in almost all aspects of the society. From jobs to schools, clubs, activities and even sports. This difference has been in existence since ancient times, when, the man was the gatherer, whereas the woman was responsible for taking care of the baby. Times have changed and perceptions have evolved, thereby, gradually narrowing the gender gap significantly (Hall, Ruth and Oglesby 272). Sports have one of the greatest gender bias, as the society is more focused on cheering and upholding the male gender higher due to the levels of adrenaline depicted when they are in action. High school games are biased as well, where boys' teams are strong, and worshipped, whereas the girls are left to cheer. Gender parity seems to be a permanent phenomenon. This paper seeks to determine if girls should be allowed in high school boys' teams or not.

Title IX, a federal law, was passed in 1972. It sought to ensure that no student in the school would be biased due to their sexual orientation, opinion or race, from participating in any educational program (Mikulyuk, and Braddock 42). When it was established, it brought great hope that gender equality would be achieved at all academic programs and fields in school. However, sports have been a difficult area to unite the sexes, as the interests of the boys and those of girls tend to differ. Performance of girls vary from that of boys hence mixing the two in the same team is not the perfect recipe for uniformity. Secondly, the safety of the girl child in a mixed team is an issue of concern (Mikulyuk, and Braddock 42). Boys are aggressive, forceful and strong, hence a parent may not allow his or her daughter to get into such a team.

There are several advantages which could result from allowing girls into boy's teams. First, it would encourage cooperation. Boys naturally tend to believe and confide in other boys, work with them and shut everyone else out. Such attitude is sometimes passed on into their adult life, where they avoid the women or prefer spending time with fellow men. Such people may even end up without marriage, or become reckless family men (Hall, Ruth and Oglesby 272). Giving them an opportunity to spend enjoyable moments with girls will greatly help. Secondly, with the girls being generally more gentle and smooth than men, mixing up the two in a team will encourage the boys to be gentle and careful with them (Allison et al. 15). It will encourage gentleness and care, which could be handy in their future lives.

Including girls in boy's teams in high school will give them a sense of courage, strength and empower them to pursue whatever the society segregate as a duty for the men. It will give the girls courage to lead, join the military, become professional athletes and even defend their fellow girls and friends (Allison et al. 15). Besides the girls, this will open up the society especially in the marginalized areas to appreciate and set up more opportunities for girls in the society. It will show the abilities of the girl child and challenge her to live to these provisions. Ultimately, this will narrow the gender gap, and cultivate equality (Allison et al. 15). The society needs to be convinced that girls can survive boys teams if there is going to be any progress on this issue. The perception doesn't exist in the coaches' mind only, but the whole society.

On the other hand, enjoining girls in boy's teams in high school games could have negative repercussions. First, the boy child has created a leader, a quality which he might lose. A man was loaded with muscles, strength and strong mental conviction for a reason (Allison et al., 18). He should show the way, defend and face whatever comes his way with courage. Allowing girls to meddle in boys' affairs could be psychological, thereby making them lose this quality. Apart from that, in a typical game, the situation could become tense, rough and violent, thereby exposing the girls to physical abuse or injury. Fights regularly break out in boys' games, where players end up being hurt (Hall 11). In case a girl attacks a boy with the same intensity, the situation could be fatal, and this is unacceptable.

In light of the above scenarios, it is prudent to say that girls are safer playing with other girls. Boys, on the other hand, have been used to facing fellow men with immense intensity and roughness which might not be managed by girls. One might perceive the physical injury that might be acquired and fail to perceive the psychological damage that will be caused (Hall 11). The girls could be psychologically tuned to perceive men as rough beings who cannot be relied on. To avoid such a circumstance, it is prudent to keep the boys and girls in their separate and safe teams. This may not be perceived as a step towards gender equality (Mikulyuk, and Braddock 42). However, it will strengthen the girls, make them resilient and courageous enough to face whatever is presented to them.

Title IX was enacted with a clear vision in mind; narrowing the gender gap in the society (Mikulyuk, and Braddock 42). The school is where the life of a student is shaped not only academically but in many other sectors as well. It is essential to allow the students to learn to coexist with each other not only in the less energetic activities such as studying but also in physical activities such as sports. Building a nation calls for a collective effort by all members of the community; regardless of their gender, strength or age. Cooperation aids in building networks, through which various talents can be pooled for the better progress (Mikulyuk, and Braddock 42). An athletic boy in a football team can teach the girl how to play well in return for assistance in an academic discipline such as history. Naturally, the boy would be an athlete and the girl would prosper in academics, however, this synergism creates two intelligent athletes, whose belief in integration would never be shaken ever again (Allison et al. 15).

Conclusively, gender equality needs to be cultivated from an early age. Gone are the days when engineering was a job for the men and babysitting for ladies. Skills need to be impacted at an early age so that integration will be easily achieved in future endeavors. Including girls in boys sports teams in high school will provide a basis for considering each other in everyone's circles of life. Girls are strong, determined and good at encouraging and influencing men to go for their aspirations. Teaming the two together is likely to boost performance, encourage cooperation and teamwork. It will also enable the girls to go for the careers or activities which seem to be reserved for men, leading to a more flexible society. Gender discrimination in schools is illegal according to Title IX, but the natural instincts dictate that boys and girls should be separate. This is retrogressive, and girls should be included in boys' sports teams in high school.

Works Cited

Allison, Rosalie, Emma Bird, and Stuart McLean. "Is team sport the key to getting everybody active, every day? A systematic review of physical activity interventions aimed at increasing girls' participation in team sport." (2017).

Hall, M. Ann. The girl and the game: A history of women's sport in Canada. University of Toronto Press, 2016.

Hall, Ruth L., and Carole A. Oglesby. "Stepping Through the Looking Glass: the Future for Women in Sport." Sex Roles 74.7-8 (2016): 271-274.

Mikulyuk, A. B., AN MILNER, and J. H. Braddock. "Equality or Equity? Sex Differences in Attitudes toward Females' Sports Opportunity and Title IX." Psychology of Women Section Review (2016).