When I was a kid, I played basketball against the boys. Big, mean boys who were mean. Who never passed me the ball, and who would elbow me in the breast every chance they got, cos that was funny.
I also spent my primary and intermediate years playing Bullrush. (also known as Scrag, and I believe, ‘mush’) Which, really was rugby without the rules. And I never got particularly injured (My brother did, and still has the egg sized lump of scar tissue on his forehead to prove it). 
Now once a week, I front up to play indoor netball against men. Men who are bigger, faster and stronger than me. When I was playing in Christchurch a few years ago, one of them hit me so hard I would have flown out of court had there not been a net. I’ve had a broken finger, dislocations, a black eye and numerous bruises. And you know what? Those boys don’t scare me. Playing against them doesn’t scare me. Them hurting me doesn’t scare me, because if it did, I would to bastardise a quote, be playing tiddlywinks.
They apparently scare Christchurch high school principals though. I know indoor netball is not rugby, in that no one is being tackled and thrown to the ground. There’s not a particularly high risk of neck or spine injuries. But have you seen an international netball match recently? Have you seen a WNBA game? Do you want to tell Candace Parker (at right) she can’t play?
Because that’s what they are doing to Chantelle Garbutt. She wants to play in a inter-house rugby tournament but has been told she’s not allowed because it is too dangerous.
And you know, what? The school is just covering its own ass, I get that. There would be a national uproar if she plays, gets crunched in a tackle, and is permanently injured. But that could happen to any player in any game ever. If she is capable of playing, and good enough to, and her parents consent, she should have the choice. That’s what it is about. Not protecting the little women from themselves, as if they don’t know the risks, and are perfectly capable of judging them. Equality is about people having the same opportunities, even if they use them to make stupid decisions.
But what annoys me more is the commenters on that post:
“Let Chantelle play, and then let the boys do a Jerry Collins on her. And then ask her then if she thinks it’s still sexist.”
Charming. Yes, because if a player deliberately goes out to hurt another players, that’s the girl’s fault for playing.
“Apart from the fact that girls/women playing rugby is just nonsense, mixed games at schools is irresponsible and potentially dangerous not just because of the obvious strength issues but it’s an opportunity for covert abuse by way of a grope in a ruck or maul etc.”
See above. That’s the girl’s fault for ending up at the bottom of a ruck, right? God forbid we expect boys to behave appropriately on the rugby field.
“Let the girls play, they get groped or munted and who’s in the gun? The principal of course for letting it happenn Not the parents or kids for insisting on it going ahead.”
Right, no, not the groper, or the munter. Or the kid who played the game knowing the risks. Who is probably also a munter.
But hey, at least some people support women’s rights to end up at the bottom of the ruck. Or maybe they are just looking forward to watching a New Zealand rugby team win?
