NPR reported on a story this morning about a Catholic* school in Arizona that chose to forfeit a state championship baseball game, rather than play while a child-bearing machine…oops, I mean little lady…err…teenage girl was on the field. It was because the school had too much respect for the female player, of course.
From International Business Times:
“Teaching our boys to treat ladies with deference, we choose not to place them in an athletic competition where proper boundaries can only be respected with difficulty,” the statement read. “Our school aims to instill in our boys a profound respect for women and girls.”
The Associated Press reports that Paige Sultzbach, a 15-year old from Mesa Preparatory Academy, had voluntarily sat out two games against Our Lady of Sorrows earlier in the season in order to accommodate their dumbfuckery. She wasn’t, however, willing to sit out for the state championship. w00t!
This is an example of why Title IX is still important, proof that it is still relevant. In the United States today women are facing challenges for equal representation and support in sports. The very reason why Paige Sultzbach is on the men’s baseball team is because her high school doesn’t have a women’s softball team. It sounds like Paige’s coach, team, school and family have been very supportive of having her on the men’s team and for refusing to sit the bench in the final.
I feel bad for the guys at Our Lady of Sorrows. I’m sure they busted ass to get to the state championship, and because their school is run by a bunch of gender role bigoted throwbacks all they’re bringing home is shame and ridicule from the national media. And I feel bad for Paige’s team; because Our Lady forfeited, Mesa Preparatory will be taking home the trophy, but they didn’t have a chance to win the trophy on the merit of their efforts.
Way to make sure that if everyone doesn’t play by your rules, then no one wins, Our Lady of Sorrows.
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*Society of Saint Pius X is a fundamentalist conservative branch that broke from the Catholic Church in the 1980s. Officially they have no canonical status in the Catholic Church.
11 comments
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Amenhotepstein
May 12, 2012 at 10:29 (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Yeah, you’ll see a lot of sputtering from mainstream Catholics about that, but the truth of the matter is that Pope Palpatine is busily bringing the Society back into the fold as part of his general rightward shift of the RCC.
In 2009, he lifted the excommunication of the bishops whose ordination sparked the rift in the first place. Currently, the Society has signed a doctrinal document with the Vatican as a prelude to their re-integration.
Don’t let people pull the wool over your eyes, these guys are where the mainstream RCC wants to be under the current Pope.
Dave X
May 12, 2012 at 11:26 (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Next time around, she shouldn’t bother to sit out in the regular season. Then the forfeiting losers can have a worse record & won’t crush their own hopes in the championship.
bastionofsass
May 12, 2012 at 11:49 (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Really? Respect them as what? As baby-makers? As humans who were born without the best kind of reproductive organs–you know, the kind that allow you to be priests? Or as equals and athletes?
The actions of Our Lady of Sorrows was profoundly disrepectful of Paige Sultzbach.
Pierce R. Butler
May 12, 2012 at 12:11 (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Baseball, schmaseball – I feel sympathy for any kids whose parents & school can’t find any more inspirational a theme than “Sorrows”.
LT
May 12, 2012 at 13:18 (UTC -5) Link to this comment
In case you are unaware, Mesa Prep’s athletic director stated that she respected the academy’s stance. Also, Mesa’s coach (and the league officials) had been told previous to the season that Our Lady of Sorrows Academy would not be able to play any co-ed games – so Mesa knew well in advance what the academy’s policy and decision would be.
Phillip IV
May 12, 2012 at 17:03 (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Pierce R. Butler @ #4:
It’s those damn “truth in advertising” laws.
Buffy
May 12, 2012 at 19:16 (UTC -5) Link to this comment
“Our school aims to instill in our boys a profound respect for women and girls.”
So long as they know their place.
F
May 12, 2012 at 20:52 (UTC -5) Link to this comment
So, what, they can’t brawl then? Is that part of their strategy or what?
If this was football, I could at least understand the position based on their stupid assumptions.
Erin
May 13, 2012 at 09:46 (UTC -5) Link to this comment
The thing that worries me is that a couple of those boys from Our Lady of Sorrows are going to go home with the message, not they should respect women, but that women have ruined everything for them. UGH.
E.A. Blair
May 14, 2012 at 18:08 (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Paige Sultzbach was interviewed on MSNBC’s “Politics Nation”. During the interview, it was mentioned that the people of Our Lady of
Eternal RegretSorrows’ school would have been okay with her batting and playing outfield but not running the bases or playing an infield position. Apparently, they were afraid that one of their simon-pure boys might actually touch her during the course of play.That’s right, they forfeited because girls have
coochiescooties!!.Either that, or the boys need to save themselves for the priests.
pipenta
May 18, 2012 at 11:01 (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I’m horrified that her coach allowed her to sit out any of the games. What kind of a message is that?