Sunday, November 09, 2008

Too Much Equality?

I know a guy who is a former NFL player and he recently discussed with me and some other guys what it was like to be in a locker room after the game, trying to get showered while female reporters were there trying to get interviews.

I understand that they are just trying to do their jobs. But if the situation were reversed, no female sports team would ever allow men into their locker rooms for post-game interviews. And they'd be correct to not allow that.

I understand why reporters want to interview in the locker room. The players are more likely to give raw, unrehearsed reactions to the game. Hence, it makes for a better story. Additionally, reporters have deadlines to meet. So they need those reactions as quickly as possible. But, frankly, I think it's a travesty that women are allowed to violate men's privacy after a game. If you ask me, no one should be allowed in the locker room after a game. Basic human decency suggests that a person (even a pro athlete) should be allowed a few minutes privacy to shower. But if that isn't possible, then it should be only men allowed in.

But maybe I'm wrong. Part of the criteria for convincing me will be that you have to be willing to flip all of the genders in your explanation, and still think it's a good argument.

I don't think it's possible. I think that there is a thing as too much equality. Men should not be allowed in women's locker rooms. Women should not be allowed in men's. Wishing for equality can't be taken so far that we forget that men and women are in fact different. And the behavior of both people will be slightly different when one of them is naked.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree with you, but please give us more information. What did the player say? Did he find it embarrassing? What did he do about it? Most importantly, what percentage of his team mates were opposed to women in the locker room? Why don't they make their feelings known or refuse to talk to reporters in the locker room?
An old article in SI claimed that most players were opposed to this practice, but you sure wouldn't know it today.
I personally could easily do without post game interviews. The leagues could easily insist that all interviews be done in separate rooms. Why don't the players push for this?

mjh said...

He didn't seem to like it. I don't think he felt there was anything he could do about it.

I didn't think to ask him how many of his teammates disliked it. I got the impression that it was generally unpopular.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the response.
If you ever speak to him again, it would be very interesting to know what percentage of the players also disliked it.

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