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Ridiculous Public Behavior

Tonight I went to the Minnesota Twins home opener, and was suddenly struck by the crazy spell that sports can put over people...drunken (and sober) screaming, running around in a frenzy, and swearing in front of 4 year olds. Then I looked closer and realized that all of these things were done by men.

I am tired of men getting away with acting RIDICULOUS in public, while I can't.

You're asking me if I'm PMSing because I'm legitimately angry while you're running around the Metrodome after the game screeching "woooooo!" with beer drool coming out of your mouth and your ass crack nearly showing? Really?

If I was behaving that way that people would be concerned or even fearful, instead of just shaking their heads and thinking "boys will be boys." Security would be called on my ass! Parents would shield their childrens' eyes!

Maybe we should take a step back though and stack it up to the fact that these ill behaving men are just excited because of their *devotion* and *passion* for the game of baseball. Maybe I just don't get it because I don't find baseball that excitable? Well I'm pretty passionate about my college's men's hockey team...buuuut still, if I was acting with this utter ridiculousness at a Gopher Hockey game I would probably be seen as that "crazy bitch who's into  hockey, which is cool, but is probably a slut."

So where does this leave us? Do we rise up and call all women to let themselves go ; run around barking like a dog while yummy bear runs down your face!

Or do we call out men who are acting ridiculous in public?

Thoughts?

Posted by LisaMcG - April 07, 2009, at 03:32AM | in Deep Thoughts
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15 Comments

[0+] Author Profile Page jjgirl23 said:

We call out men for being idiots in public. Dangerous, drunken, irresponsible, childish idiots. That is one area where I do not want gender equality. I have no interest whatsoever in running around like a buffoon with a big styrofoam "go team!" glove on my hand.

...because men always have a reason for acting the way they do whereas women's behavior is only motivated by emotion or hormones. So these guys act this way because of their devotion to their team, but similar behavior from you would be an indication that you require medication of some sort.

[0+] Author Profile Page Elizabeth said:

I'm glad you posted this, I agree. If women deviate from how we are ''supposed'' to act, its a huge deal. This goes for so many areas of our lives too! I don't shave my legs? I'm gross. I don't wear make-up? I'm weird. I really enjoy the mud-pit at the summer camp I work at? I'm a 'tomboy.' Holy crap, you've never had a boyfriend!? You must be a lesbian. In high school, I was constantly mocked for speaking up on issues, talking loud, or saying something controversial. Because all that behavior is deviant. It's not allowed. For guys, however, they can swear, spit, hoot at women and yell all they want in public, and its no big deal. I see it all over my campus, groups of guys acting ridiculous, but its not a big deal.
Whew, that was long, but this is something I am becoming increasingly frustrated with. Double standards!

[0+] Author Profile Page Lisa replied to Elizabeth :

ahh yes!! Thank you! :) I wasn't quite able to articulate this, and I think the commentors below missed out on it.

[0+] Author Profile Page Cicada Nymph said:

Its a sports game. Lighten up. Sports are fun cause you get to let loose. I'm a female and I like to holler and get drunk at games. If somebody was angry at me for that it would piss me off too, though I would never make that horrible PMS comment. Who made you the judge and jury on what is too "ridiculous" or "foolish" to be allowed.

[0+] Author Profile Page Sehnsucht said:

If I had a bear running down my face, yummy or not, I think I would have every right to scream my head off. :P

[0+] Author Profile Page Jessica replied to Sehnsucht :

That cracked me up.

[0+] Author Profile Page Lisa replied to Sehnsucht :

HAHAHAH whoops! :/

[0+] Author Profile Page Tiffanie said:

A few random thoughts...

1- Hello fellow Minnesotan!

2- I have never actually experienced this at a Twin's game. Vikings yes, Twins no. Although I did watch on TV the game at the 'dome against the White Sox where fans were throwing things on the field.

3- I have certainly seen my share of nasty foul mouthed women. They seem to show up a lot at children's sports games.

4- I think what you describe is a symptom of the "boys-will-be-boys" attitude. Where boys are encouraged to be rambunctious and rowdy and girls are forced to sit quietly and not get dirty or too excited.

5-I think that the boys-will-be-boys attitude is shifting, however, I think it will mean more women behaving badly NOT fewer men behaving badly. :-\ Manners are going out the window.

Aside from liking to run and hike etc I some times forget that the whole sports colure is out there. It’s so depraved in it’s behavior that I try not to even think about it but there are a lot of these clowns and it really makes you wonder wtf could possibly be wrong with them?

See, this is one reason why I joined the roller derby. I can skate around in shiny hotpants, hit people, and after the game is over I can drool beer and yell "Wooooooo!!" and nobody so much as blinks.

[0+] Author Profile Page Lisa replied to quebeaum :

That.is.AWESOME.

[0+] Author Profile Page Blithely Zealotic replied to quebeaum :

Sooo, are hot pants a requirement? Can I do Roller Derby without exposing my body, or is this another iteration of the 'Lingerie Olympics'? After all, women competing in skimpy clothes is "hawt", but women who don't are "dykes".

Hot pants are in no way, shape, or form a requirement. Revealing one's body or sexing it up is not a requirement. Some (not all) players like to, often because it's an arena where they feel safe to do so. Also, you get hot and sweaty. Short shorts are practical. There are plenty of dykes in hotpants in derby and plenty of hetero women not in hotpants.

I generally find posts here to be well thought out. I feel like this one kind of misses the mark and just sounds like whining. I have been to MANY sporting events, and have seen men and women partaking in complete jackassery. In most cases if someone is getting out of hand someone takes steps to stop them. Acting like public idiots is not exclusive to men by any stretch, and it's kind of (reverse)sexist to imply it is.

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