Teach Me How to Throw A Football

At work today, a young foreigner probably close to my age, asked me if I was American. Considering we’re in America I usually don’t get that question, “where is the bathroom” on the other hand is a popular one. I asked him to repeat himself, just to make sure I was hearing correctly, and then I answered yes, not sure where this was going. His next question though, blew my mind.

He asked me if I could teach him how to throw a football…

Now for some background, I work in a university bookstore that happens to sell footballs.

I giggled a bit and said, “well I don’t know how to throw a football…” The confusion in his face was fascinating. His friend then went on to explain he had a roommate that played American football so he kinda knows how to throw it.

I thought this was interesting because it seems like the idea of gender specific sports are very prominent here in the US. If someone mentions a basketball game, we’re more likely to think of a man. If someone mentions tennis however, or maybe volleyball, we’re likely to think of a woman.

So to have this young man assume I can play football because it’s part of American culture, and not think twice about my gender, made me feel like there has been some sort of breakthrough in the fight for gender equality.

It may seem like a bit much but we are still fighting for gender equality, and any accomplishment, regardless of its size should be praised.