Polarization of the Sexes in Sport and the Andro gynous Yearning of Human Beings

Abstract

It is stated in this article the proclaimed principle of equal rights for sexes, there can actually be observed a polarization of woman and men in the entire social life.

Polarization which has been going on for centuries has at present adopted the form of a scientific theory, reducing women to an exclusively biological role; women are being adapted to norms an principles of the male world. All this also finds its reflection in sport.

Under cover of "objective" comparison women's sport is being adjusted to men's sport. Thus participation of women in sport is rather approached with tonque in cheek and there exists the danger that in this way women may lose their own identity. In sciences of sport an approach based on natural and techni cal sciences is getting more and more frequent which is characterized by collec tion of allegedly objective data which actually bypass whatever is subjective, bio graphical what is an experience of the individual and what finds the reflection in social science. One could define this as reign of "rationalism" which dismem hers man's life, separating what is subjective from what is objective, what can be measured technically from what is the outcome of certain social relations.

Approached from this point of view the very essence of female features is being treated as deviation from the norm, which takes its origin from male indi viduals. Sexuality is treated as a certain disease of women. This is especially clearly evident in the case androgyny, understood not only in the biological sense but the psychic sense as well. This can be observed in sport, too. Here the ideo logy of formal equal rights becomes, transformed into placing women's sport on an equal level with men's sport, without perceiving any need for separate fea tures and individualization of in women's sport.

It can be clearly seen in the entire history of the development of contem porary sport. One may actually state that women's sport does not exist in reality, though it is sport for woman and more and more women are practicing sport.

In conclusion of his reflections the author emphasizes that androgyny and the liberation of women should not be understood as making women fit into the world of values created by men but a broadening of the sphere of humanity by adding to this world the element of female features. In the past this has already been stressed by the working class sport movement. Unfortunately so far these matters found expression only in discussion of a few scientific spheres.