Been thinking lately about ladies football. It certainly seems to be getting popular, and some of the players are really quite good. Some of them are not so good mind you.
I got to thinking about the 1992 TV Drama , 'Born Kicking', which was filmed at QPR's Loftus Road, and used QPR's first team strip at the time.
The idea behind the show, was the notion that within Ladies football, comes a player, Roxanne Reddy (played by Eve Barker), who happens to be so good, so very good, that she has the chance to play alongside and against men. There are some legal issues around whether she'd be allowed to do so, but she's such a good player that all obstacles are overcome, so that she can in fact join the men's team.
Already nowadays, we have female match officials and reasonable adjustments are made to accommodate their privacy when getting changed, showering etc...... and often fans will tease them about their ability to officiate, but that's reducing all the time, and rightly so.
But thinking about female players, my question is, if a female player came along who was good enough, strong enough and wanted to do so, would she be allowed to play in the FL?....... could changing room issues be overcome? Would current anti-discrimination laws allow it to happen?.... Would the footballing authorities support her efforts to join a men's team? Would lawyers take up her case if necessary?
Basically, could 'Born Kicking' really happen in this day and age, if a real life Roxy Reddy came along?..... would there be so much money involved in sponsorship and other exclusivity, that the money would be so great, it would somehow be MADE to happen?

A top class, female player in a male team, we'll say for example, Aston Villa..... could it happen? Should it happen?
We're talking about a female player equal to her male counterparts in every way. Could it happen? If not, why not?

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You would think that it would be true equality.....the logistics and legalities would probably put a stop to it

I'm sure that some international women players must be better than some players at our level. Can't see it happening though.

Ladies in a male footy team?
Lady rugby players in men's team?
Etc

I suppose now that the women have more access to football its not that important, but is that segregation or equality

mad norm wrote:Ladies in a male footy team?
Lady rugby players in men's team?
Etc

I played rugby against a female team once. Rather play away at Trefil than play them again.

mad norm wrote:Ladies in a male footy team?
Lady rugby players in men's team?
Etc

Women can play and have in mens cricket one i believe played second eleven in State cricket in Australia

I actually reffed a game where Melissa Barbieri - the Australian Women's Keeper - played in the Reserves in a highish level State League game in Melbourne - she was out of her depth. It was believed it was the first instance of a woman playing in State League football here. I have reffed a lot of State League Womens's games here too, which would be one rung below the professional league here, and I must say the talent pool is quite shallow. The top teams are quite good and it can be quite physical at times, but I have to say, on the whole the girls would struggle with the physical nature of men's football.

Last season Sarah Taylor, the England wicket keeper, played first grade cricket here too. That is more impressive as first grade here is as close to being first class cricket without it being first class if you know what I'm saying. She is a great wicketkeeper, but not sure about her batting against the quicks, as most girls tend to struggle, as they just dont face quick and aggressive bowling very often so their skillset isn't up to the men's level.

If we have this discussion in 20 years time and a whole new generation of footballers and cricketers come through, I have no doubt there will be more instances of this happening.

bignbeefy wrote:I actually reffed a game where Melissa Barbieri - the Australian Women's Keeper - played in the Reserves in a highish level State League game in Melbourne - she was out of her depth. It was believed it was the first instance of a woman playing in State League football here. I have reffed a lot of State League Womens's games here too, which would be one rung below the professional league here, and I must say the talent pool is quite shallow. The top teams are quite good and it can be quite physical at times, but I have to say, on the whole the girls would struggle with the physical nature of men's football.

Last season Sarah Taylor, the England wicket keeper, played first grade cricket here too. That is more impressive as first grade here is as close to being first class cricket without it being first class if you know what I'm saying. She is a great wicketkeeper, but not sure about her batting against the quicks, as most girls tend to struggle, as they just dont face quick and aggressive bowling very often so their skillset isn't up to the men's level.

If we have this discussion in 20 years time and a whole new generation of footballers and cricketers come through, I have no doubt there will be more instances of this happening.

That's some great insight into things there. The drama 'Born Kicking' though, was dealing with a female player who was EQUAL in every way, pace, strength, skill, stamina to her male counterparts..... so rule changes were brought in to recognise her equality. Could it happen today, and indeed should it?....

Now that there is an established women's football league is it necessary ?

penycwm county wrote:Now that there is an established women's football league is it necessary ?

Which is one of the arguments I'm sure would be made at the time.....

ButchersDog wrote:I'm sure that some international women players must be better than some players at our level. Can't see it happening though.

But do you think she SHOULD be allowed to?.... Do you think the authorities would manoeuvre things to make it happen?

I'm not sure what people want, either equality where we all compete at the same level, which realistically could be done in certain sports i.e. Darts, Snooker, Cricket and most other non-contact sports (is Football non-contact ?) or segregation where we all compete in our own different leagues, I feel that it has to be one or the other you cant pick and choose.

All sports should be gender-neutral rather than segregated. Put women against men in competition and see how they fare.

SJG99 wrote:All sports should be gender-neutral rather than segregated. Put women against men in competition and see how they fare.

They can in Darts and Snooker but never seem to do well wonder why that is

The only sport they really can compete with men is horse jumping