The thrust of the matter

At the end of the 2004 tennis season, when Maria Sharapova won an important match, she celebrated on court by making a gesture of, shall we say, male sexual aggression. The audience cheered, and I wanted to vomit. It is offensive enough when male athletes do this, because it equates athletic skill with male sexuality, not to mention it is in poor taste. To see a woman do it is beyond offensive because it equates athletic skill with...male sexuality.

All reference points are male. Can you imagine how the crowd would have reacted if Sharapova had dropped to the court and simulated female sexual aggression? She would have been fined by the WTA, I'm sure, and the networks would have Janet Jacksoned her for weeks. Because that would have been judged "obscene." But the stud-boys can do it their hearts' content, and everyone cheers.

It is this standard that motivates people to tell courageous women they "have balls." Except they don't. But God forbid we should judge courage by anything other than a male reference. If I didn't have my calendar, I would have no clue we were in the 21st Century.