<Perhaps women's football would be more about skill than about brute force and aggression>

Does it matter what women's football would be like? Or how the spectators might behave?

Surely the only relevant issue is that no-one ever prevented women from forming teams as men do and competing against one another.

If anyone can show me how 'men' ever 'prevented' girls and women from playing sports I would be most interested. My experience is that women - mothers and other 'protective' and often censorious women - limited girls, other women and themselves, not 'men'.

The targets of feminists were:

1. females joining in 'male' sports, activities and clubs alongside men; and

2. apparent higher payments by advertisers for some 'male' sports.

As far as (1) is concerned it is a case of feminists wanting to have their cake and eat it too. That is unreasonable, but feminists won that ground in the culture war.

There are girls in de-tuned (to suit mothers) Boy Scouts (now simply Scouts) and the boys are not so interested any more because the program has been neutered, affecting the adventure and risks they crave. In junior AFL for example, girls can play with boys, and bloody whiny they and their parents are, too. Now the fad has largely passed, but the devastation and higher insurance premiums remain.

In relation to (2), let the market rule and men cannot be held responsible for that. However feminists want laws to force advertisers who sell their marketing to private companies to artificially structure the market.

If the ABC was talking about women in sport (OP refers) it is as sure as God made little apples it was indulging in feminist politics. However like many other Australian taxpayers who pay for the ABC I would very much like it to return to the 'old' ABC that delivered news and other factual reporting and did not involve itself in politics.

As well, why must Aussie taxpayers be compelled to pay for the broadcasting infrastructure and paraphernalia for TWO national broadcasters that regularly lift BBC stuff anyhow

A funny little aside on my daughters walk racing.

At her last high school athletics carnival there was just one 1600 meters walk race for both sexes, for seniors only. I was listening to the briefing given to the field before the start.

Anyone jogging to prevent being overtakes would be disqualified.

Those who got tired & slowed had to move to the outside of the track, to allow inside passing.

Anyone who was lapped had to get off the track, Oh except for being lapped by Kate of course. She lapped everyone, including all the boys, as she was the only one trained. It became a standard saying in out house, "except for Kate of course".

We eventually withdrew our support for her walking, as she was getting too much shin, foot & pelvis pain with the heavy training at the athletics club. We read a number of reports that it was a sport really only suitable for mature bodies, not still growing young ladies

Dear Hassie,

Talking about "mature bodies."

I've had to give up going to the gym because of my
heart palpitations. I now walk regularly instead.
But I find that I can't jog as I used to do.
I guess there's certain disadvantages that come
with "maturity" as well. Still, I'm determined
to maintain some form of exercise. I also find
that my medication doesn't help my energy levels
either.

Good for you Foxy. Do a few kilometers for me too please sweetie.

I'm trying to get some quotes for knee replacements, but it appears the good surgeons don't like quoting. You're supposed to find out what it cost you after the event.

Foxy,

Have year heard of the '10,000 steps' program? I believe it is enjoyable and very good.

onthebeach,

I am intrigued. I haven't heard the term "as sure as God made little apples " since my grandmother said it, albeit she inserted 'green' ... "little green apples."

Dear Hassie,

Good Luck with the knee replacement.
I hope that it works out for you.
I know how painful it can be. A family
friend had the op recently - and is doing
very well. Anyway, here's wishing you every
success.

Dear Danielle,

Thanks for the name of the program.
I haven't heard of it - but I will investigate it
for sure. Anything to maintain a level of fitness.

BTW: "Little Green Apples," reminds me of a song
I grew up with written by Burt Bacharach and Carole
Bayer Sager, sung by Roger Miller (and my older brother):

"And I wake up in the mornin'
With my hair down in my eyes and she says hi
And I stumble to the breakfast
While the kids are goin ' off to school, goodbye
And she reaches out and takes my hand
And squeezes it and says, how you feelin' hon
And I look across at smilin' lips that warm my heart
And see my mornin' sun

And if that's not lovin' me
Then all I've got to say
God didn't make little green-apples
And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
And there's no such thing as Doctor Suess
And Disneyland and Mother Gose is no nursery rhyme..."