Okay, many different paths have lead me to the topic for this post. However, one particular path sticks out. It was a news piece that I’m seeing covered by many different news outlets. The subject of that piece was and I’m paraphrasing:
“Saudi Arabia to Allow Women in the 2012 Olympics”
Really, SA, really? I mean, let’s get with the program. What’s next, allowing dark people to vote? Jesus Christ. I’m liberal and EXTREMELY open to other cultures and lifestyles, but this irritates me. It’s right up there with the fact that Saudi Arabia DOES NOT ALLOW WOMEN TO DRIVE??!! Are you kidding me? What’s next taking all the Asians off the road?! Good God. (For my Brits, when a Yankee says Asian – it means people with a bloodline connected to Japan, the Koreas, China, and maybe the Philippines. When you say Asian, it means South-Asian. I don’t know why we have this difference, but we do.) If you don’t know, there’s a pervasive and ridiculous stereotype in the United States that Asians can’t drive. It’s right up there with women can’t drive or be responsible for their own uteruses (thank you, Virginia!), etc. But, while we’re at it we should just voice all the other ridiculous thoughts STILL in existence, out loud. Here are a few – black people can’t speak well, women can’t be funny, gay guys can’t catch a football, the irish are drunks, the mexicans work in the kitchen, etc, etc, etc. I MEAN ARE YOU FECKIN’ KIDDING ME?!! IT’S 2012. At the very least, United-Racists-of-the-World, you should get some new material because you are very, VERY hack.
And Saudi Arabia, you are a sexist. Period. And not like a lightly-dipped-in-sexist like that dude from Cornell who says the ladies can’t do no science, like a complete and total – DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING, READ ANYTHING, DRIVE ANY WHERE, OR EXPOSE A WRIST – because you have a uterus and a vag and if you did anything like that it would feck up millions of generations to come. Men, would not be able to handle you driving around doing errands or exposing a wrist or your natural hair color or – god forbid – bopping around in a jog-bra after a soccer ball. They can not handle it. Once women do those things, men will be forced to walk around with constant erections bumping into things like the arm of a toll gate-bridge that has broken free and continually slams itself into oncoming cars. It would be chaos. It’s obvious.
Good God and I’m going to say it, “Sweet Mother of Christ” – what a pack of a-holes I have to deal with. Saudi Arabia, when you are that much of a stereotypical idiot, I’m going to make fun of you. It’s that simple.
Here’s what my comedy brain thought when I first heard about your incredibly forward thinking news: “Hmm, Saudi Arabia is going to allow women into the 2012 Olympics. Well, how are they going to compete in the swimming events? Surely, in all those Burkas THEY WILL DROWN. Not to mention, swim into other lanes because they can’t see a feckin’ thing.”
It is very hard to swim in this, so I train in other ways.
Jesus Christ. I played sports for most of my childhood and my only regret is that my father wasn’t more like Serena Williams’s dad pushing me to excel from the cradle right on to the center court at Wimbeldon. Saudi Arabia, you like your money, let’s be honest – I know you like money since you’ve allowed your kingdom to sustain something like 4,000 princes – and the professional tennis circuit PAYS. You could have a stable of princesses bringing honor (and dollars) to the kingdom by batting a tiny, little, yellow, ball around, but no instead of seeing opportunity you see heresy. This is shortsighted, to say the least.
So, what can we learn from this? Not much. I, for one, thank god I was born here and not there because I can assure you I would’ve been stoned by now. And I don’t mean stoned in a “let’s get high and enjoy and outdoor music festival” kind of way. I mean stoned in an – ouch, ouch…okay, his cousin looked at me – but, how is that my feckin’ fault! – and now the villagers are all throwing rocks at me kinda way.
Okay, I need to calm down. Breathe. Breathe. Here’s the truth. Sports are good for girls. Sports are good for boys too. But, here’s why they are especially good for girls – women can be catty towards one another, BUT when you LEARN to be on a team, when you mess up and the defensive wing behind you fixes your mess by re-stealing the ball that was stolen from you, well, when that happens – you start to think of other women as your true FRIENDS and TEAMMATES. Now, most sensible people realize thinking of your own gender with a fraternal sense of camaraderie and not with a competitive, “I have to get that good sperm before you get it because it’s the best sperm around and this is part of natural selection and I need to make the best babies like a crazy, aryan-baby-maker…and well, because I’m a whore” – this mentality is not good for society, whereas the “let’s be friends” mentality, obviously, is.
Honestly, who is this harming?
...or this
or this!!!
Yes, I know women’s professional sports don’t make as much money, BUT they make good human beings and in the end that’s worth way more than a bunch of d*cks who get paid too much, feck everything in sight, and are so bored that they pay some dogs to fight in their backyards.
Women playing sports IS what used to be good about sports. Sports used to be about human beings fighting without weapons TOGETHER for a common goal that is higher than themselves.
All of my kids will start out playing sports. If they quit, that is fine, but they will play long enough to understand what being part of a team is. They will play long enough to figure out that the best path involves helping out the other guy or girl. They will play long enough to understand that friendly competition is FANTASTIC when it makes both you and your sparring partner better. One of them may even stick with their sport long enough to become a champion. Whether they are born boys or girls, I will treat them all the way every child should be treated and that is with the potential to become champions – AT SOMETHING. I don’t mean coddled. I don’t mean congratulated at every turn. I mean taught that hard work can yield something. Hard work can make you great.
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As always, Momma would love to know what you think. Do you play front-of-the-Wheaties-box potential for one kid and nothing, but Barbie dolls for the other? Or are you a fan of healthy competition for all?
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Sweet Mother is updated daily. You can follow by clicking the “follow” button at the top of this blog.
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Photo creds: burka, girl-soccerball, girlsplaysoccer, girlsaftergame
Sweet Mother 
I think Saudia Arabia is hoping the women in burqas drown. You’re spot on Mother, they are total hacks. Next they’ll be asking what’s the deal with airplane food. Hahaha.
lllooooooooollll, bill. i’m only jealous i didn’t think of that line myself. 😉 as always, thanks for being here. – momma
You will rue the day you get into soccer and baseball but it is so worth it; only the seasons go forEVAH! Also, the awards for just breathing and keeping self-esteem at acceptable American levels bugs the shit out of me. One of my girls isn’t seriously focused on athletics but in high school they start co-ed soccer, football, etc and she loves it…no I’m sure it’s not about running around in shorts in front of boys. Whatever keeps her moving.
is that you in the berka? hahahaha oh man that’s outstanding. I love your posts and you will be a great mom someday, I don’t doubt it.
i would love to do a photoshoot of myself in a burka. what a wonderful idea. and i would like to be stoned to death with jelly donuts, for that would be delicious. OH MY GOD, what is wrong with me. lol. anyway, thank you maggie. mother enjoys seeing you here! yes, yes, i truly do. xo – mother
Ha! You used a line similar to something I often say: “It’s good I wasn’t born in Saudi Arabia, or I would have been stoned to death by now.” Although there’s humor in that, it’s inherently sad as well. Thanks for a provocative post.
i know it is ultimately very sad. but thankfully, i leave here where i can scream about it in a humorous fashion. ay yay yay. and we all seem to be thinking with the same brain these days, don’t we? my pleasure, as always. and as always, thanks for coming by here, carrie. – sm
I think the only reason the horseback riding was allowed is because when you’re competing the only skin shown is face, literally. Occasionally hands but most of the time riders wear gloves. Really sad. Wouldn’t it be cool if the SA women were allowed to decide what the men have to wear? I’d vote for full blown medieval armor just out of spite.
i’m surprised they don’t make them hold the reins with their elbow joints as to not expose the skin. i mean it’s ridiculous. i have to laugh about it or i’d cry. actually, feck them, i’m not crying over them. but, i may have to start an underground railroad for the broads… and i second the armor, but specifically for the greco-roman wrestling event. mainly, because it would be hilarious!
– me
Well, I was only thinking of the blistering desert heat, but I see you’ve taken it up a notch what with the wrestling and such. Well played, mother.
I became knowledgeable on the ways of SA years ago while doing a research paper on women’s rights. Like you, I would have been whipped or stoned no doubt..
I have 4 daughters and all were involved in some sports at some time of their youth and YES it should be a requirement b/c so many life skills are taught & learned.
So I’m trying to picture the Burqa wearing woman doing rhythmic gymnastics or the trampoline..*shakes head*
ugh, i knew about certain things there, but i did NOT know about the driving or a lack thereof. i did a uso tour not too long ago and we went to bahrain. the other guys on the tour (there were 3 guys and me) were standing around me in the bahrain airport…i look at one of the guys and said, ‘is it me or…’ and before i could even finish, my male friend said, ‘no, they’re all staring at you. you are correct.’ now, i don’t know if they were staring at me because i’m naturally loud, or bc i sport a vag, or because i was NOT wearing a hijab…but, it was CREEEEPY. momma no likey. momma no like. thanks for the excellent commentary once again, new friend. xo – sweet mother
I love everything about this, but especially the part about how playing sports is about fighting without weapons and working towards a common goal. I had never thought about it that way before.
It seems that whenever I hear about Saudi Arabia, it is because it’s “extending” basic BASIC rights and privileges to women and minorities. I think at some point I got it in my head that because Fendi and Prada are readily available there, it must be civilized. But really, I guess those brands are also available in the US which we know is also a tremendously backwards place. I have no idea where I’m going with this. Non sequitur at its best. Needless to say, great post!
don’t every let that fendi/ prada thing drape the expensive purse over your eyes. they have tried to do that to me, many times! thank you, ems. it’s always good to see you here. kisses, mother
i know there are times when i feel like screaming at people “This is 2012″… i wish i could exactly explain to you how i feel about situations where people go by ancient rules that dont mean a thing…when people aren’t open minded or even ready to try to be a little flexible and open minded…
hope m not mumbling…
the reason why i love thousand splendid suns is because that book made me see that there are so many women born at wrong place at wrong time…women who face a difficult life because men have issues with their sexuality..they need to be stupid morons and cruel and stop women from doing anything ..so they can prove themselves that they are men…
hmmm, ‘thousand splendid suns’ — sounds like i have another book to download for my kindle. and i am a voracious reader when i’m not sucking up all my time with blogs. 😉 i know it’s tough not to lose your mind over it, little miss. but, please don’t. we need you and your kind – the openminded ones – here, on earth. much love, mother
am sure you will like this book.. 🙂
you are right we need open minded people..lots n lots n lots of them…i know because i need some of them around me…
thats why when i found your blog believe me i smiled a smile i never knew existed… 😀
Thankyou Sweet Mother
🙂
😉
this is dictatorship in the name of religion. The governors os SA said that they are applying Islam. but Islam don’t allow governors to force people to apply it. This is a total misunderstanding of Islam.
thank you .thats totally right . I am a Moslim girl living in Syria (not so far from SA)oh God I heard once that the women there prohibited from attending a football match because it’s kind of erotic!!!! I dont think Islam is the proplem Its all about misunderstanding for the essence of the religion .I live in a country with a muslim majority,but secularism is ruling and this allows to keep religion away from everyday life.I think that tha Arabic Gulf in general and Saudi arabia in particular summarize their life in two things : money and treatment women as sexual objects .
may, and i hope you are ‘may’ and not ‘gay girl in damascus’ – nudge, nudge, wink, wink. you heard that news story, right? i’m sure you did. anyway, thank you for your insightful and informative comments. i can’t believe anyone would be stopped from watching a ‘football match because it’s kind of erotic’ – although, sometimes those soccer players have really nice legs. the men! the men, i’m talking about! i may be gay, but i have eyes!! okay, i’m being a nutball to your very sincere commentary. honestly, i wish for peace everywhere and for women to be able to play whatever in the heck they want, when they want. you know, like human beings. love and strength, mother
thank you for clarifying a good point. My best wishes for Syria. it is a very beautiful country.
thank you May for clarifying a good point. My best wishes for Syria. it is a very beautiful country.
thank you for saying so, here, sand watch. i don’t know what the heck it is, but i know i don’t like it. i’m not really a fan of rule by monarchy of any type whether it’s princes or queens or cardinals…sincerely. thank you for your comment. – sweet mother
Sweet Mother…this is me in the quiet, whisper of a voice asking “Would you adopt me?” Seriously…I could be your oldest [only] older child…even older than you…but that would be all right. Damn right!!
Brilliant!! by the way…see what I mean…I could worship everything you say because you are so…damn right!
Looking for papers to come in the mail…..
Dear jots, the adoption papers are in the mail. you are officially my child. keep in mind, your allowance is only $5 and that you have to rake the leaves on alternate thursdays and sundays. you can reneg on this deal at anytime. regardless, remember, mother always loves you – and especially when you make killer comments like that. – SM
Sweet Mother, Lived in London for several years working for an American University where students from 115 countries attended…SA? Yes, of course. Female students, wearing traditional dress: burkas, hajibs, boarded jet from SA to London. Upon arrival in London female students from SA deplaned wearing jeans, T-shirts, make-up, big hair. Reverse for trip home. There is hope for change albeit slow in coming…sad part is that it’s confined on flights from SA to other parts of the world.
About those official papers and my allowance: I’ve lived on less. $5 is good. Who supplies the rake?
oh, godd*amn it. i’ll clean everything up and make you cake. that’s how much i like your commentary. i know, change is slow, i’ll try and be more patient. i will try. you are the bees knees, jots, the bees knees. – sm
Make it chocolate. Please.
Reblogged this on oo..sakamqeshur.
thanks for the reblog, osa.
I’m hoping the Olympic events are these:
1) sewing
2) cleaning
3) period-having
Honestly what else can dames do, amirite?
you forgot to add, ‘i’m here all week!’ oh, speaker7, speaker7, speaker7, you had me ROLLING. sweet lord above. dying. dying. loved. double loved. and thank god you exist. – SM
oh no… I’m bloody hopeless at all of those *sigh*
i’d like to see fainting, swooning, and eyelash batting
You cover a lot here. Great post. All for sports for girls.
Here’s my related post: http://cyclingrandma.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/title-ix-40th-…hters-recovery/
Parents of girls must be aware of the potential for ACL tears.
i played field hockey and lacrosse in college on turf. i don’t play anything anywhere near that level now. i’m more of a sit down and type with the occasional ping pong type of girl now. but, those acls were a b*tch. a lot of girls ripped them on my team and the big, tough, football playing guys too. maybe it was the turf, maybe it wasn’t, i don’t know…but, some of the most painful looking recovery after surgery that i have EVER seen. i will definitely check out the post. thanks for stopping by here, grams – though you only look old enough to be my cousin. xo – mother
It’s not all bad news in SA. Nearly every week, women are driving cars as a protest. They are beginning to get away with it. When they are arrested they are now just being sent back to their husbands with a warning. They don’t stone them any more
If this keeps going, a little victory may soon be on the cards.
When the Saudis come to London on buisness, they stay in expensive hotels and often bribe the barmen to secretly slip a messure of vodka into the copious glasses of orange juice consumed in an evening.
hey there, bill, this is great commentary. thank you for leaving it. i did not know about the saudi women driving as a protest. i think that’s quite cool. i have seen muslim men drink and i sort of see that as hypocrisy. you can’t hold other people down and accountable and then break the rules yourself. total bs in my opinion. i’m grateful (is grateful the right word in this case…i’m not sure it is…) rather happy that there are no stonings any more. however we could talk about pakistan or bangladesh where they’re still doing that whole acid in the face thing, which honestly – don’t get me started on. i guess my point is this — and a chris rock comes to mind. i’m paraphrasing, but one black man is telling another black man what a dirtbag he’s being, he’s stealing stuff, and he’s taking drugs, but in his defense he says, “hey, i take care of my kids.” to which chris rock says, “YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR KIDS.” i feel that way about this women stuff. i feel happy that progress is on the way, but i have a hard time giving someone a medal for what they’re SUPPOSED to do. you know what i mean? anyhoot, thanks for coming by here. i enjoy this very well thought out blog commentary. – mother
What galls me even more is that so many fundamentalist conservatives in this country spout beliefs that are no really different from fundamentalist Islam. And somehow so much of “mainstream” America doesn’t have a problem with it. Sometimes I think 2012 is a typo, and we’re living back in 1012….
testify, sistah, testify. translation: i hear you, i hear you. i understand you. i feel you. and don’t even get me started on the quiverful movement…let’s not do it… – moms
I’m female too and not muslim [or anything for that matter] but I see things a little differently. The situation for women in SA is grim by our standards but changes in attitude always come slowly. It really is a case of mighty oaks from tiny acorns blah blah.
For the Saudi women any change [for the better] should be applauded because it’s like a tiny hole in a dam; once you have that first hole the pressure from within will work to make it bigger.
Those of us who are free enough to see the glass ceiling will just have to be patient and wait for our Saudi sisters to /want/ the same things we want.
Well said, acflory.
Goshdarn it. Ur comment is so good ur making me respond from my car !! And no im not driving, everyone is safe. I agree that any change, any steps towards progress are good ones. I just have zero patience at times. But, I will try because I do think in this regard ANY change is good. Thank u for leaving this wonderfully said comment here, ac. We all needed to hear it. – mother
I totally agree with you. Slowly slowly, itsy bitsy the changes are coming. Saudi have allowed women to compete because they don’t want protests abroad. They need to be seen on the world stage but not with blemish on their image. Just a small click on the ratchet of progress. Something they will never be able to walk back.
Change will come with increasing speed. I have seen televison interviews with Saudi women and they are informed and articulate. (one advatange about the full Burkah (sp?) is that as they cannot be indentified, they can say what they like on camera) But they seem patient and confident. I think many Saudi women want evolution rather than revolution. Revolution would be to confront their brothers and husbands, fathers and sons, not the government.
Fingers crossed.
yes, fingers crossed, indeed. thanks for commenting, bill.
What’s all this nonsense about being responsible for my own uterus? I’m already very busy writing inane blog posts and ignoring my children. Can I hire help for that?
There’s this wonderful law they’re working on now in va (yanks, correct me if Im wrong) where before u get an abortion or even think about one they make u get some kind of vaginal invasive ultrasound with a carrot ( I don’t even know what or how they do this) during said ultrasound the doctor is federally mandated to point out the eyes ears and nose of the little thing, he takes a pointer and flips thru a slideshow where he points out where it will go to college and who it will marry…then he tells u that u r killing it. It’s basically something like that told thru my skewed perspective, of course.
Sent from my HTC Inspire™ 4G on AT&T
Sweet, you’re way off on the Virginia ultrasound law . .. I live here, have read the bill, and am actually pretty annoyed that what was reported in a lot of national media and more than a few blogs about the bill bore little to no resemblance to what it actually said 🙂 If you want a link to the bill, let me know and I’ll send it to ya.
As far as the Barbies thing goes, I have two kids of each gender, and the blonde bimbo dolls are actually banned from our house, as are Bratz and anything else that makes kids think girls are supposed to look like hookers. All of my kids play with My Little Ponies, trucks, drums, guitars, play kitchens, and toolbenches. My oldest son’s favorite toy is a vacuum,my youngest daughter’s favorite toy is a bulldozer with a sparkwheel. Gender-stereotyping toys are just silly — that’s coming from the traditional Catholic housewife (who holds a pair of master’s degrees), here!
My four year old daughter is playing soccer this spring, and she’s starting flag football in the fall; my five year old daughter played soccer last year and hated it, so she’s playing tee ball this year. We insist that each kid who’s of an age to play sports play at least one fall and one spring team sport — both for fitness and to learn how to be part of a team 🙂
wait, what was wrong with that explanation, was it the carrot? details, details. yes, send me the bill – sweetmotherlover@gmail.com – or better yet, explain it all here in a brief synopsis or drop in the link, we’ll all go to the darn thing. that way i can spend the rest of my time reading your blog! 😉 i can not say enough good things about a person who says, ‘bratz and barbies and anything else that makes girls think they are supposed to look like hoorkers are banned from my house’. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. seriously, irish, – we at SWEET MOTHER and by we, i mean, me, are VERY glad you’re here. 🙂
Thanks for the warm welcome!
Here’s a link to the bill: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?121+ful+CHAP0131+pdf
It’s a pretty long read, which I’m guessing is why so many people on both sides bought into the soundbites.
Long/short (and I asked my midwife and ob-gyn about this one; one’s pro-life, the other’s pro-choice — they both said the same thing, interestingly): the reason for the sono requirement is the need for accurate dating of a pregnancy. Once the baby’s development hits a certain point, attempting certain methods to kill it can actually kill the mother. The law actually specifies abdominal ultrasound only, and that in cases of reported rape or incest, the sono requirement is waived. Honestly, that waiver makes me queasy, because it strikes me that those women deserve the same diligence in their care — but most of the women seeking abortions under those circumstances are receiving them in a hospital setting to begin with (according to my ob-gyn and midwife — I wasn’t kidding when I said they both said the same thing).
Cheers to ya, Sweet Mother!
–Kelly
hey, thanks for the link, kelly. i will FOR SURE check it out, as i’ve been wanting to know exactly what the heck is going on with that anyway. i’m floored that those two doctors on such opposite poles said the same thing…so, i will definitely read. and once again thank you for your enlightening and truly engaging commentary. – me
Thanks for this! it’s reeediculous that women are treated the way they are in other parts of the world. Everyone should be allowed to engage in sports regardless of their genitalia. Exercise is healthy and team sports are chock full of life lessons. Go Sweet Mother!
thank you, kourtney. momma is so glad and grateful that you took a moment to stop by here. hugs, me.
sadly, if you were born there, you would be indoctrinated from birth to learn your role as a female and fear you father, your brother and husband.
indoctrination – it ain’t good for cults and it ain’t good for countries. liberty ALWAYS finds a way to break the surface and catch some air. now, after saying that, i’m going to join mel gibson in charging after the English. Braveheart reference, anyone, Braveheart? – sweet mother
I was trying to figure out what sports they actually could compete in that wouldn’t require them to “expose” themselves. Running events are out as they would show way too much leg. Swimming is out, for the above stated reasons. Archery has to be out, because if they learned how to shoot bows and arrows, they might end up using them against the male chauvinists that run that country. So that leaves only one event…mud wrestling.
loooooooollllll, and thus, freedom for women everywhere is earned through jello and mud infused half nelsons — and understanding your boob is out of your bikini top when you feel a breeze on the nipp. kidding, everyone, kidding! just two joke slingers havin’ fun. arrrrrgggggh. seriously, rob, i love it when you swing by here. – moms
I was devastated when I found out that woman couldn’t feasibly play Football (Soccer) professionally because I was convinced that was going to be my job when I was little.
This is the first of your posts since I started following and I couldn’t have agreed with you more on what you’ve said! Great blog, I look forward to more.
hello cake, thank you for saying so. i’m trying to keep some of you lovely people in this testy blogging-net. so, thank you. that is a shame about soccer/ football and girls. although it is getting better. i believe there IS a professional women’s soccer/ football league now and here in the states we have a decent one for professional women’s basketball. neither make as much as the men, but at least these talented athletes can feed themselves and pay their bills by doing what they love. anyway, i’m glad you came by here and hope to see you again. – mother
I like your point that kids having at least a foundation in sports can teach them about teamwork. Being the introverted type, it took me a lot of time and effort to get the hang of being a team player and, even though I was never athletic, I think being on a sports team as a kid would have given me a leg-up in this incredibly important skill.
People like me focus too much on aspects of sports that they don’t like or think don’t apply to them — like being athletic or competitive — and forget that there is a lesson to be learned that applies to everyone.
That being said — allow me to introduce myself! I’m new to WordPress and the world of blogging. My name is Robin. I’m super impressed with your blog and would appreciate some tips, if you can spare a moment. I’m curious as to how you find your subject matter to post every day. Do you just find inspiration anew every day, or do you have a pool of ideas that you pick from?
Looks like you have your hands full with posting and keeping up with comments, so I completely understand if you don’t have time for your BIGGEST FAN — I will give you a generous 48 hours to get back to me before I start stalking you in person.
love, robin
hello, robin! and welcome to my deranged world. yes, on the sports thing – as for me, there was a part of me that was/ is athletic and then there’s another part of me that’s a crabby artist and just wants to stay locked away in a dark room with a box of crayons. you know what i’m saying? so, i get all sides. but, i will say, i’m truly grateful for having sports as a kid. just the other night, i was playing ping pong with two other grown women. there were three of us and so we weren’t sure what to do. so, we decided to play ‘around the world’ where you run around the table like an idiot, each person hitting the ball when they arrive at the table’s end. all three of us women had been child athletes and we had a blast. literally, we were reduced to tears and laughter again like small children because no adult looks good jogging and then reaching for a ping pong ball at a strange angle, let me tell you. so, i do believe, sports can be good for everyone, whether you stick with it or just try it and then let it go, you can get something out of it. as for the blogging, i really agonize over what i’m going to write about each day. i keep a notebook and jot ideas down in there and then i try to write to what speaks to me. hope that helps and once i’m caught up with all this fp commenting stuff, sure, i’ll check out your blog. but, mainly, you should just keep blogging. all the best, mother
Thanks!
Great research here on how sports increases self-esteem for girls/women. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1998/11/981117150259.htm So this is an interesting bit relating to the amount of the female physique that is on display via sports: “We chose (to test) divers because they compete and train in revealing attire that places their physiques on evaluative display,” and it turns out that “the divers had the lowest social physique anxiety compared to the other groups”. It’s because of how sports help athletes to view their bodies for endurance, strength and stamina — all assets. Even if SA is only now allowing women to participate in the Olympics, I have no doubt that the self-esteem and women’s views of themselves will be improved by having to participate in and compete in sports – burqua and all. For moms and dads out there, if you only have 30 minutes a day with your daughter, spend it outside playing and get her into some sports.
winn, once again – thank u for the wonderful commentary. i went over straight away and read that report and it was flippin’ interesting. seriously. but, i will say that their results are something i’ve always known internally – sports can make little humans less anxious, more self confident, and yes – more trusting, in the right situtations. these all seem like wonderful things to me. and for the girls, it seems twice as important as we all try to fight madison avenue and its ridiculous view of women. thank you, winn, and it is always lovely to see you here. – mother
Super welcome! Exercise is also great for dogs, too. (Thanks, Cesar Millan.) Ok, how is it that you are able to reply to each of our comments? Your hands, your poor hands! The time! The amazing brain of yours that allow you to be funny and interesting and SINCERE in every reply! Yes, I LOVE using these!!!! Go drink and be merry. No need to reply back. Until next post … 🙂
Excellent as always, momma!
thank u, gills!
I cannot think of a single Olympic sport that fundamentalist Moslem women would be allowed to participate in.
However, I have heard that there is a ball game played by Moslem women and girls, but details are sketchy because it is always played behind closed doors and men are not allowed to see it being played.
On a lighter note, the various references to swimming in Burqas (or Niqabs) brings a new twist to one of life’s great unanswered questions…
“If one synchronised swimmer drowns, do they all drown?”
oh, mee, this is a great comment. and the ‘synchronised swimmer’ thing, oh lawd, lawd. gales of laughter. gales. thank you for stopping by here and leaving your thoughts. xo mother
Right, I’m so with you on the whole Saudi thing! I too hate their backwards, out-dated traditions and way of living. It is a very oppressive place to be as a woman.
I have 2 boys, in South Africa rugby is a big sport for boys to play. I was very much into my sport, academics and cultural activites at school – I will obviously want the same for my boys. If not at all 3 then at least at something. I will always make sure they strive for THEIR best – whatever it may be.
My eldest son has dyspraxia (it’s a brain thing) – he’s clumsy, struggles with planning movement and co-ordinating smooth movements, can’t talk much right now – and I have had to realise that my expectations should change from ‘what I want’ to ‘what is their best’. Of course I will encourage my children to play sport – ALWAYS. Even if it is casual and non competitive. (obviously I’m a Mom that likes competition – I excelled in it!
Every Mom wants their kids to be a champion. I’m just trying to be very realistic of my expectations and wants.
So my boys may not both play rugby. But perhaps gymnastics will be their forte? Only time will tell.
And I have to be honest and say that right now I may have greater expectations of my youngest who doesn’t seem to exhibit any challenges. But also knowing that my eldest will prove me wrong many times!
My eldest is 2 and already riding horse – but cannot kick a ball! So I do encourage ANY form of sport early on!
tj, this is a really wonderful comment. if i have children, i’ll be having them WAY older and we all know that this increases the likelihood of something going wrong. honestly, i commend you for all your doing with your sons. it sounds like you are a wonderful mom. and even bing a yank, i’ve always loved rugby. it’s such a cool looking sport. we watched it all the time while we were living in the uk, though we had no idea what was going on half the time. though, we had a better understanding of rugby than of cricket! i also love hearing the commentary on here from real women with children. it seems to me that you have one expectation before they’re born and perhaps that changes entirely after they arrive. anyway, i’m really glad you stopped by here and left such a beautiful comment. all the best – mother
I have a friend who works for Al Jazeera Network in Doha. Oh, the stories. She just sent me a newspaper article announcing that “Single men in Riyadh will be able to visit shopping malls during peak hours.” Seems Prince Sattam bin whathisname lifted the ban previously put in place to “stop harassment of women.” Must have been the Starbucks mixer with a splash of Victoria Secret.
ha ha ha – ‘the starbucks mixer with a splash of victoria secret’ – oh loved, LOVED. and your friend must have a story or two indeed. awesome comment, sheilah. thank you for leaving it. – sm
Of course they won’t drown. Never heard of the Burkini? -> http://www.ahiida.com/skin1/images/burkini-freedom-flexibility-confidence.jpg
OH. MY. GOD. I THINK I LOVE YOU FOR POSTING THIS FOR ME!!!!!! why did i not know of this??? i must speak to the media at once for not informing me. the burkini -wwwwweeeeeeeeeehhhhhhh. seriously, sorta, you are a godsend. lol. loved. it.
– mother
Yeah no worries. Post a picture of when you do the experience test in them, okay? ;p
I would have cried until I gagged if my parents had tried to make me play sports when I was a child. (Still would, come to that.) I cried on the days I wasn’t allowed to wear a skirt to school because I had gym class. On the other hand, the only time my wife cried as a child (or so she claims) is when she realized she would never be able to play for the Red Sox.
This had me laughing out loud! Thanks for telling it like it is, Sweet Mother!
my pleasure!
Nobody’s heard of the Burkini? Not exactly on-par with the sharkskin suit technology, but hey, if it allows you to compete, go for it. Even if at first, it does look a little hilarious.
http://www.burkini.com/