how sexism makes things stupid

Last night the Tricksters lost their third game, by a very close 3-2. And there's some question about whether the game will "count" because it seems the other team might have misread the rule about women being able to walk instead of hit when there are two outs. Here's the way the rule is written:

"Any walk to a male batter (intentional or not), will result in a two base award. The next batter (a female) will bat. Exception: with two outs, the female batter has the option to walk or bat."

Okay, so the only time a woman gets the chance to walk without batting is when there are two outs and the man has just walked to second. Except last night many women on the opposing team walked when there were two outs regardless of whether the man had just walked.

Frustrating.

We decided as a team that our women wouldn't take the free walk unless it was crucial. I mean, what's the point of playing if you're just going to take the free walk? Isn't half the fun being up to bat?

Here's what really made me mad though. The other team's got two outs. There's a female first-base coach and a female up to bat. She's not sure whether she should hit or just take the "free" walk. She decides she'd better walk. As the batter gets to first, the first-base coach slaps her five and says, "way to go, selfless women!"

Oh. My. God.

Jesus.

Oh, selfless women, why are you on that team? To allow the men to play in a co-ed league? Selfless! As though deciding to actually play the game would've made that batter selfish.

It makes me ill.

Oh, and did I mention that this was a religiously affiliated team? The backs of their shirts read "Our faith moves walls." And those walls, they're crushing their own women.