“Boys and Girls”

The chapter I am reading for my Social Problems class right now covers women and their inequality. It discusses several examples about women weren’t always allowed to vote and they get paid less for doing the same type of jobs.
It also discussed about that men are stronger women are physically stronger now than they were years ago. That’s nice in all, but men will always be the dominant gender physically when it comes to humans. Although I am certain many women could kick this Blog author’s butt.

If you remember in high school, the fastest runners were usually all guys. As I was running the track at Sterling (my old high school), today in a feeble attempt to get in shape it brought back memories of my gym days. I recalled how running may have been one of the only events I didn’t shy away from in gym.

I recalled many a times when it was “baseball” season that I’d pray for a Nor’easter so we would get to walk around and shoot baskets or play hockey with those Q-tip thingies. Most of the time during my “physical education” I spent learning that I was not a very good athlete. However by the time I realized that being moderately good at some sports you just have to practice and be brave about being bad at first the girls all sprouted breasts and gym became a social affair. I’m not sure hiding an erection when some hottie in front of you is stretching wearing insanely short shorts with a white t-shirt actually burns any calories.

So you get to the awkward age where image is everything and when you have to do athletic tests in front of the whole class you seem more conscience of what people are thinking than your actual task. Not to mention the class was so large your lucky if you got a chance to participate in the class wide events. Even the heavier set girls would sit out events or avoid having to do anything to ward off snickers. So, why have co-ed gym classes when it just encourages lack of participation.

Having the class separate into sexes makes sense, because there is less of distraction when the kids hit the point that exercise is important is usually the same time good old puberty starts. It would have certainly made me more comfortable trying to figure out how to whack a tennis ball around with out some hot shot trying to make me look bad in front of the smoking hot DALE girls. Or perhaps stopped me from yelling at girls who didn’t feel like paying attention during street hockey month. Many girls at this age are more worried about looking good and not sweating (of course as always there are a few exceptions) which disturbs any kind of team game. If they were just amongst their own it would let teachers have more one on one focus time on students.

Maybe this is why Americans are so fat (aside from all the greasy food) because gym class for the most part is ineffective for over half the students for 12 years. Of course, the gifted athletes got something out of it. However, having the sessions separated would have likely resulted in the athletic kids’ spirit and abilities rubbing off on the others. Than again those short shorts were pretty coo and some punk who always find senseless violence funnier (ex: hurling a volleyball at some one for no good reason and knocking their glasses off). Oh yeah, and I never found one girl that was impressed that I could get an 8 on the V seat reach. Sadly, my only moment of glory in all my years of gym.