Teen Wrestler Refuses to Compete Against Girl: Should Girls Even Be Wrestling?
SodaHead Living
2011/02/18 16:00:00
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When we first heard that an Iowa high school wrestler refused to compete against a girl at the state tournament on Thursday, we thought it was a sexist decision.
But then we read his explanation.
Joel Northrup, a home-schooled sophomore, says he gave up his chance of becoming state champion because of his religious beliefs.
"As a matter of conscience and my faith I do not believe that it is appropriate for a boy to engage a girl in this manner. It is unfortunate that I have been placed in a situation not seen in most other high school sports in Iowa," he said in a news release.
Northrup's father, Jamie Northrup, is a minister in an independent Pentecostal church that believes young men and women shouldn't touch in a "familiar way," Bill Randles, the church's pastor, told The Associated Press.
"We believe in the elevation and respect of woman and we don't think that wrestling a woman is the right thing to do. Body slamming and takedowns, that full contact sport is not how to do that."
As a result, freshman Cassy Herkelman and sophomore Megan Black became the first two girls to make the state wrestling tournament in its 85-year history.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Cassy and Megan and their accomplishments. However, wrestling is a combat sport and it can get violent at times," said Northrup, further explaining his decision.
Black said Northrup refused to wrestle her three years ago, and she admires him for sticking to his convictions.
"If it's his religion and he's strong in his religion, then I just respect that," she told the AP.
But then we read his explanation.
Joel Northrup, a home-schooled sophomore, says he gave up his chance of becoming state champion because of his religious beliefs.
"As a matter of conscience and my faith I do not believe that it is appropriate for a boy to engage a girl in this manner. It is unfortunate that I have been placed in a situation not seen in most other high school sports in Iowa," he said in a news release.
Northrup's father, Jamie Northrup, is a minister in an independent Pentecostal church that believes young men and women shouldn't touch in a "familiar way," Bill Randles, the church's pastor, told The Associated Press.
"We believe in the elevation and respect of woman and we don't think that wrestling a woman is the right thing to do. Body slamming and takedowns, that full contact sport is not how to do that."
As a result, freshman Cassy Herkelman and sophomore Megan Black became the first two girls to make the state wrestling tournament in its 85-year history.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Cassy and Megan and their accomplishments. However, wrestling is a combat sport and it can get violent at times," said Northrup, further explaining his decision.
Black said Northrup refused to wrestle her three years ago, and she admires him for sticking to his convictions.
"If it's his religion and he's strong in his religion, then I just respect that," she told the AP.
Read More: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/02/17/sports/m...
.... if the girl got injured, mommy could sue the school?
.... if she won, the boys would cry?
.... it might create a Janet Jackson moment?
.... you don't really know?
Well...most guys....
Who cares if boys cry over broken egos?
Doubt it
but it's certainly an unfeminine thing to do.
If you're going to wrestle, only wrestle those of the same gender. If you're gay/lesbian... then no.
Men acting like that is annoying enough; women wrestling is just disgusting, and if they want to wrestle men, that's even more repulsive.
Wrestling is a full contact sport and men and women should not be doing such a thing so casually.
I don't think that argument has much integrity.
Girls want to wrestle then let them wrestle each other instead of them groping and getting groped by boys. And say there's no groping all you want certain holds and moves guarantee that the competitors are grabbing crotches. Too bad Moolah's dead and Chyna doesn't wrestle anymore because they would have straightened these wannabe's out real quick
And what about those boys who will use this as an excuse? Those who want to cop a feel anyway and use the "Well I was just wrestling" excuse? Yes it will happen because these girls put themselves in that position.
Cripes. I'm sorry, I don't respect that decision, but it does explain a lot of what is wrong in our prudish society. If a girl goes into the sport and is trained, she knows what she's getting into and should not expect any pandering. If you can't do that sort of thing to a girl, you shouldn't be doing that to ANYONE.
Prudish society? Where are you living? Because that certainly doesn't describe America or the UK. Just watch some MTV or the super bowl commercials.. If you think our society is prudish, then I am truly afraid of you're outlook on life; you're lifestyle must be repulsive.
Also, women have been wrestling for just as long as men, so to call it a "man's" sport is rather dim-witted and chauvinistic. Wrestling in ancient Sparta was as normal an activity for women as it was for the boys. Girls wrestled other girls and boys in various displays of physical prowess.
And it is prudish. It's prudish that a young man is being taught that he can't engage in any physical, competitive activity with a girl without it being considered wrong. It's sad that a man has to give something up because his church is saying that merely touching a girl is wrong. We live in a society that shows gore on TV on a daily basis without so much as batting an eye, but raises a massive fuss when a nipple is shown for 1/18th of a second by accident. It's not what we watch, it's the idiotic reaction to it that's prudish. The media has a field day with people who are so appalled by what they see that they watch it over and over again just to reaffirm their revulsion.