Research Proposal

Aaron Batista English 201

Anything You Can Do I Can Do...Better?

The strive for equality has been a broadening topic over the years ranging from, skin color, to representation and now sports. There are those that are still wondering why we have a separate division for men and women at this point in our society. Sports should be about finding the best athlete regardless of gender. Gender segregation would theoretically get in the way of that so why not get rid of the restrictions.  For decades men and women have competed in separate leagues due to perceived differences in physiology, but in our new society where equality is at the forefront would it really be problematic if men and women competed against one another?

The practice of competitive sports has been around for centuries which for the most part has been male dominated. In our modern society though women were routinely kept out of sports because of the notion that it is a male activity. Ever since the Paris Olympics in 1900 women in sports has steadily grown to what it is today. Despite all of the restrictions women had to overcome in order to achieve their level of representation, the issue of gender segregation in sports is still feverishly debated. There are moral, societal and medical aspects to this situation that must be addressed in order to come to a rational conclusion.  

Through the use of multiple types of sources this paper will address how the pursuit of equality has impacted the society that we live in today. We as a society do not find it acceptable to be restricted from activities unless everyone is as well. This societal belief fuels the argument that gender segregation is wrong and that it should be stopped immediately. Medically however  there are differences to consider when it comes to men and women. Especially within certain sports that focus primarily on an individual or revolve around excessive violent contact with other athletes.

The moral implications get much bigger now that we live in a new society where we have people such as transgenders. Do we have the right to tell people that they can not participate in a league that they personally identify with? Do we overlook or address the advantages/disadvantages they might have? Would this be fair to do so? As the paper addresses these considerations it will conclude with a method that might be able to serve both sides of problem. It will help retain the fairness of sports while opening the door for more athletes and competitive situations.