Sunday, September 25, 2011

Men banned from Turkey soccer game


http://edition.cnn.com/2011/09/21/sport/football/fenerbahce-all-female-crowd/index.html?hpt=hp_c2
Kind of an interesting story, in attempt to address soccer hooliganism and violence, Turkey has decreed that any sports team sanctioned for having unruly fans, all males over 12 will be banned for two games. So this week, Istanbul team Fenerbahce which had been sanctioned, played against team Manisapor. The stadium was filled with around 43,000 women and children under 12. I'm not sure what I think about the rule--I think it plays to the stereotype that women are less aggressive, more passive, nurturing, etc. And given that women have found a way to fight in wars for thousands of years, even if their society didn't allow it; and that women leaders have frequently led their countries during times of war, I'm just not sure if that stereotype is true. However, regardless of that, the sight of tens of thousands of women together showing so much team spirit is pretty awesome.