Pics

This 1927 report of a women’s football match describes the players in the most sexist terms imaginable

Oonagh Keating. Updated September 11th, 2018

Although still something of a poor relation compared to the pay and attention of its male counterpart, women’s football is in the best state it’s ever been in, worldwide. The English women’s team – the Lionesses – have qualified for the Women’s World Cup in 2019 and finished second in the 2018 SheBelieves Cup.

However, despite being popular in England for over a century, the women’s game hasn’t always been treated with the respect it deserves, with this 1927 report of an international match showing an outrageously patronising attitude towards the female athletes.

Some notable comments include:

“…mere men footballers would do well to copy the example of the opposite sex who can score goals galore, while their jaws work in harmony at chewing gum.”

“Bellshill Athletic could be doing with an outside left winger like the dainty creature who operated for Scotland”

“The dapper little inside right once more won the “love” of the crowd when she scored a second goal for Scotland.!

“…the tall Irish lady in centre again brought grief to the girls in the tartan knickers.”

“…a fair lady from each side had retired to the pavilion disabled before the teams crossed over.”

“Whatever the future of flappers in politics, it is evident that their intelligence is at least equal to that of many of the boys on the football field.”

Can’t imagine any pundits getting away with rabbiting on about the daintiness of Arsenal Women or the style of knickers worn by the Lionesses.

When Twitter user @Clarrknulp shared the picture, someone sent him an appropriate picture of their own.

As DoubtfulOptimist remarked,
“Dainty creatures”.

H/T @Clarrknulp