Women's football in Japan!

I've been quite busy this week but I did have the "fortune" of catching a 45-minute half of women's football at the World Cup in Japan. Now, in my sheltered (and probably sexist world) Men play football - just like girls go to Brownies*. Never mind equality - in my head it's gender exclusive. Bigotry aside, I thought I'd give it a chance.

Quite frankly, it was more of a circus than I could've imagined (or hoped for!). Passes were rarely long enough to be completed, players had to kick for the goalkeepers so they could surpass the confines of the penalty area, shots from > 18 yards invariably bounced 3 times before reaching the goal and throw-ins epitomised the reputation girls have for an inability to throw anything. And, bear in mind, this is the very best the world's countries had to offer! To be fair, however, I should say that Kelly Smith exhibited 'actual' footballing skills and made a very good show for herself. It's just the other 500+ women there who would probably fail to notice if the game was started with a rugby ball rather than a football.

* I could write reams on my sociological/psycholgical take on different individual's acquired/voluntary societal perceptions and opinions. I think that one's upbringing indoctrinates a very strong opinion of particular social settings or identity groups. I was brought up in a traditional nuclear family where my Father was 'breadwinner' and my Mother raised the children. Now that I am older I recognise the right of women to strive in careers (or the right of men to raise children) but sub-consciously I still instinctively percieve a family unit comprising of Dad-Worker, Mum-Mother + Children-scholars and very closely share the Social constructionist approach to making sense of individuals perceptions.

These instinctive perceptions could very easily be construed as sexist, ageist or whatever but it is very difficult to suppress instinct with rationality and calculation in advanced years.. The influences shaping perceptions are not just historical, cultural or familial. Much contemporary discourse considering social contexts (such as the nuclear family mentioned above) is loaded with political terminolgy. I was disgusted to learn recently that, until it was repealed in 2003, the England and Wales Local Government Act 1988 made reference to same-sex partnerships raising children as "pretended families". This is language enacted less than 2 decades ago and drafted by people purporting to represent society's interests!

I'll stop myself! I'm on runway 1 and I'm clear for take-off! Best for any readers that I abort!
Suffice to say that I don't use [apparently] sexist vernacular to offend but merely to expound my honest, natural opinion of things.