Time to End Degrading “Lady” Adjective in Sports
by Ken Reed
Time to End Degrading “Lady” Adjective in Sports
Here we are, almost to 2015, and we still have numerous high schools and colleges around the country that use the “Lady” adjective before the school’s nickname. For example, the Lady Raiders.
Why do we need to differentiate girls and women’s teams this way? We don’t call the men’s teams “Gentlemen Raiders,” do we? The use of “Lady” is disrespectful, condescending and degrading to female athletes. It doesn’t fit with the equal opportunity and equal treatment mandate of Title IX.
Arizona Republic columnist Paola Boivin touched on this following the welcomed news that the University of Tennessee was dropping the “Lady” from their “Lady Vols” moniker for the school’s women’s sports teams. (See “No Room for Lady …”)
“One university,” writes Boivin. “One athletic department. One nickname. Male. Female. They are athletes. All of them. And they are more alike than different. Let’s stop the verbal segregation. … Call me a Lady-killer, but it needs to go away. All of it.”
To do so would be in keeping with the spirit of Title IX.
Most importantly, it’s the right thing to do.
–Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans
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"How We Can Save Sports" author Ken Reed appears on Fox & Friends to explain how there's "too much adult in youth sports."
Ken Reed appears on Mornings with Gail from KFKA Radio in Colorado to discuss bad parenting in youth athletics.
“Should College Athletes Be Paid?” Ken Reed on The Morning Show from Wisconsin Public Radio
Ken Reed appears on KGNU Community Radio in Colorado (at 02:30) to discuss equality in sports and Title IX.
Ken Reed appears on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour (at 38:35) to discuss his book The Sports Reformers: Working to Make the World of Sports a Better Place, and to talk about some current sports issues.
- League of Fans Sports Policy Director Ken Reed quoted in Washington Post column titled "What happened to P.E.? It’s losing ground in our push for academic improvement," by Jay Mathews
League of Fans is a sports reform project founded by Ralph Nader to fight for the higher principles of justice, fair play, equal opportunity and civil rights in sports; and to encourage safety and civic responsibility in sports industry and culture.
Sports & Torts – Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans – at the American Museum of Tort Law
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