WATER GIRLS

There's a certain type of woman that gets to college, becomes self-aware and free from her parents' authority, rejects any semblance of traditional values and begins crafting an identity based on radical feminism. What happens to these females is that they learn that society doesn't necessarily have to be as it is, but is instead based on a series of collective choices made by those who control societal institutions. These girls discover that men make many of these choices and skew thew system in ways that will benefit other men. The most obvious solution for these women is to adopt an ideology that embraces total equality and, in some cases, even attempts to punish the male chauvinists that drive the status quo. The pendulum swings the opposite direction.

I personally don't accept the conclusions of radical feminism. I believe that men and women have been made differently to complement one another and that in certain realms or spheres of influence one gender will always have the upper hand. Though there may be many differences, I present two examples of my beliefs: no matter how far toward gender equality society advances women will always have a slight advantage at nurturing young children; men will always tend to dominate when it comes to physical labor. I acknowledge that there will be many exceptions, but the differences are, for the most part, ingrained and biological; and I don't get miffed when institutions mirror or affirm some of these innate tendencies toward difference.

However, I do get upset when gender differences are institutionally exploited to a degree that hinders the ability of one gender to strive toward excellence and use their God-given abilities. When the military will only allow men in front line combat, this is good. I support the idea that men should protect their families, and believe that more men than women are more capable of the job. In life and death situations, leadership and personal problems are also lessened when only one gender is present.

When employers pigeon hole women into rolls like secretary and receptionist, it is unfortunate but acceptable. More women than men possess the multi-tasking prowess to simultaneously send an e-mail, sign a check, answer the telephones, and greet an angry client with a smile.

If a good-old-boy construction contractor only wants to exclusively hire his male buddies, this is fine with me. When you're working with gigantic machines and potentially dangerous situations you want to work with people you can trust and people who can handle the physical labor. Your life and safety is at stake in this environment.

Even seemingly exploitive occupations such the professional female cheerleader is a passable career option. It takes serious skill to perform acrobatic stunts and persuade a crowd of fifty thousand people to chant in unison.

But there are certain roles that, while they may be pleasing to some, don't justify gender discrimination. The world isn't a better place when women strip down and sell food at a-restaurant-that-rhymes-with-scooters. There's no reason to hire female-only flight attendant staff. Both genders can be equally good at following safety rules and filling my soft drink. There also would be no justice if a bank told a perfectly capable and qualified women that she couldn't be an accountant but needed to climb down the ladder to go be a receptionist.

Why do I share these thoughts? Because tonight I witnessed the most flagrant exhibition of pre-tertiary chauvinism that I've ever seen. There is a high school football league in Singapore that employs the use of "water girls." These ladies don't get to cheer and they don't do acrobatics (an athletic area where women tend to have an advantage). These ladies don't appear to be keeping statistics or assisting the coach. I didn't notice them managing the equipment. These tank-top clad girls serve one function: deliver water to thirsty football players.

Perhaps I am rushing to judgment. Perhaps the water girls are performing their duty out of necessity. The boys "water boy" talent could be all "tapped" out and the water girls are the only ones available to step up and deliver. It is possible that the seemingly skimpy outfits are a necessity. Just as a swimmer who wears a loose garment would have a difficult time traversing the water, a water delivery girl's garment must be tight so she can efficiently deliver the water. The outfit probably also helps the gals outrun confused football players and avoid accidentally being tackled. Maybe the water girls are part of an orchestrated environmental conservation effort, and it takes the careful steps of a female to deliver water without spilling it. I doubt these things.

I don't blame the girls. They are probably just having a good time hanging out with their boyfriends and serving water. I also don't blame the players. I'm sure the high school guys like the girls around. They probably haven't gotten far enough in their AP English curriculum to ask these types of questions. If there is anyone to question, it is the people in power that make the rules that structure the league.

My prediction is that one fine day in college these girls will wake up as women and decide to embrace radical feminism.

Boy, I wish the world would let the pendulum stop in the middle.