Why "ladies"?
- Thread starter Bennett
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2005
Most competitions now use the term 'women' rather than 'ladies'. However, I prefer the term ladies, as it sounds much more elegant.. Oh to be politically correct!!!
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
some day we'll be forced to do away with gender roles entirely. I'll enjoy the ladies event while it lasts *sigh*
I've often wondered why they haven't updated this in figure skating, but then I think it would seem a bit funny to call all those tiny little 15-and 16-year-old jumping beans "women". Somehow "ladies" just doesn't seem quite as ridiculous, like it can apply to the "young ladies" as well as the ones in their 20s. It always sounds a bit off to me to hear those itty-bitty little gymnasts like Shawn Johnson called "women".
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2007
ITA! And I'd be happy to embrace consistency by saying "gentlemen" for our male skaters!
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
In the sports world, only race car drivers are "gentlemen," as in "gentlemen, start your engines!"
When the first lady driver participated in the Indianapolis 500 there was a big controversy about whether the announcer should use this traditional phrase or whether he should say, "ladies and gentlemen."
The compromise was: "In company with the first lady ever to qualify at Indianapolis, gentlemen, start your engines."
When the first lady driver participated in the Indianapolis 500 there was a big controversy about whether the announcer should use this traditional phrase or whether he should say, "ladies and gentlemen."
The compromise was: "In company with the first lady ever to qualify at Indianapolis, gentlemen, start your engines."
In the sports world, only race car drivers are "gentlemen," as in "gentlemen, start your engines!"
When the first lady driver participated in the Indianapolis 500 there was a big controversy about whether the announcer should use this traditional phrase or whether he should say, "ladies and gentlemen."
The compromise was: "In company with the first lady ever to qualify at Indianapolis, gentlemen, start your engines."
That was a good resolution/idea!
How would that work?
e.g., "Persons with Genotype tending towards XX chromosome please take the ice and then later, persons with Y please take the ice"
or
Skaters with dresses and white skates, please take the ice
Skaters with pants and black skates?
It would not be fair to have a mixed compeition so you would have to have a way of describing the 2 categories genderless?
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- Joined
- Dec 4, 2005
But - what about the women who wear unitards? And black skate covers??Bit ridiculous at times, isn't it? However, the trophies still have senior ladies or junior ladies on them (ones with decades of winners). Will we need new trophies for senior women?
And when will we be forced to remove the male/female skater from the top of many trophies?
I guess it will have to be "will the following (genetically) male skaters please take the ice for a 6 minute warm-up" and 'will the following (genetically) female skaters ......."
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
Winnipeg, I don't know how it works, but there are health classes all over the country who are doing away with 'gender issues' because of the 'offensiveness' of it... so who knows. I find it all rather absurd myself.
today while i was watching the ladie sp i was asking myself the same question!!("asking myself" is correct?...my english is awful :scratch:!)
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
you are correct (And your English is just fine, as another thread on here suggests, it's those of us who speak English as a first language who have the most trouble lol)
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
^ 100% perfect English!
I think back in the day they might have used "gentlemen's sports" in exactly that way: amateur sports practiced by the nobility and the idle rich.
I believe that the reason "amateurism" was once regarded as virtuous (for instance as applied to the Olympics) was because "amateur gentlemen" would not lower themselves to grunt and sweat with "professional" commoners. There were grave penalties for professionals who tried to pass themselves off as gentlemen and sneak off with first prize.
I think back in the day they might have used "gentlemen's sports" in exactly that way: amateur sports practiced by the nobility and the idle rich.
I believe that the reason "amateurism" was once regarded as virtuous (for instance as applied to the Olympics) was because "amateur gentlemen" would not lower themselves to grunt and sweat with "professional" commoners. There were grave penalties for professionals who tried to pass themselves off as gentlemen and sneak off with first prize.
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
^ What's that movie with Heath Ledger called... "First Knight" ? where he's a commoner who passes himself off as a Lord. kind of a dumb movie, but it isn't horrible
I need to get out and do something today I'm starting to get loopy.
I need to get out and do something today I'm starting to get loopy.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2006
Oh, Toni, usually you and I are on the same page, but I have to disagree: A Knight's Tale was indeed horrible.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2007
Another interesting thing is that in pairs and ice dance, the lady is always listed first. So if Jeremy Abbott paired with Sally Costello, they would not be "Abbott and Costello"; they would be "Costello and Abbott".
Also, there are only 2 areas of human existence where 14 year old boys are considered men; guerilla warefare and figure skating.
Also, there are only 2 areas of human existence where 14 year old boys are considered men; guerilla warefare and figure skating.
I think it fine to call a female skater a lady. I think that it says something about this sport. Besides, it is not unusual to call a teenage girl a young lady.
But then why not "gentlemen"? Did they do so before when they started out but changed it to "men" at some point or have they always called them "men"?
But then why not "gentlemen"? Did they do so before when they started out but changed it to "men" at some point or have they always called them "men"?
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