Anyone else think Girls on the Run is a rip-off?

[Anonymous]

I am seriously laughing at the #boymoms all upset that girls get "special treatment". I urge you to look up the number of sports clubs in your community and see how many are boys clubs and how many are girls clubs. Then come back here. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Girls on the Run is girls-only (of course).

When anyone in this thread raised the possibility of a space for boys-only, numerous posters shot down the idea, often claiming in essence:

“well most of the entire universe is boys only!!,” to attempt to raise awareness of misogyny and sexism.

But for children’s programs, is that true?

What “boys only” programs still exist?

Not the former “Boy Scouts.” It’s 100% co-ed now, and is called Scouts-bsa now. Not STEM, since there are plenty of “STEM for girls” programs, but I’m at aware of a boys-only STEM class.

And there is GOTR of course. But my kids local school does not have a running program where boys are allowed, whatsoever.

You guys all know that there is a boys only counterpart to GOTR, right? It's called Let Me Run: https://www.letmerun.org/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So tired of people dumping on volunteer-run programs. Why don't you step up for your boys.

Or just stop with the whole GENDER DISCRIMINATION and make it kids on the run.

Are those who are other gender declarations permitted to participate or do THEY need to start their own group too??


Honestly surprised that in this day and age we have GOTR and other gendering limited events going on at a public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So tired of people dumping on volunteer-run programs. Why don't you step up for your boys.

Or just stop with the whole GENDER DISCRIMINATION and make it kids on the run.

Are those who are other gender declarations permitted to participate or do THEY need to start their own group too??


Honestly surprised that in this day and age we have GOTR and other gendering limited events going on at a public school.

Look, I'm a dad of only boys and even I understand the purpose of GOTR. Despite what everyone thinks, our current society is still male-dominated and male-oriented. We've made some gender progress over the last few decades. But we are still an imbalanced society that favors males over females.

Trying to have organizations that teach girls how to navigate a male-dominated world, how to cope with male-dominated and male-oriented activities and sports, how to teach girls how to take care of themselves in a society that often does not consider them is valuable. When the majority of activities are male-centric and male-focused, having a handful of organizations like girl scouts, GOTR, STEM like a girl, etc are very useful in helping to continue to level the gender imbalance. There are running activities that are co-ed. Since the world and society tends to be oriented towards boys/males, there is less need for specialized groups just oriented towards boys to participate in the same activities. But if you want, there are plenty of activities that generally are boy-centric or focused.

If you can't recognize the imbalance, even after the recent new of how long it took to get women's soccer equal pay, or the fact that there is still an underwhelming female participation in STEM activities like robotics competitions or the fact that women still only earn 82 cents on the dollar for comparable background and experience, then you are truly clueless.

[Anonymous]

My daughter did it for a few years and it was a good program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So tired of people dumping on volunteer-run programs. Why don't you step up for your boys.

Or just stop with the whole GENDER DISCRIMINATION and make it kids on the run.

Are those who are other gender declarations permitted to participate or do THEY need to start their own group too??


Honestly surprised that in this day and age we have GOTR and other gendering limited events going on at a public school.

Look, I'm a dad of only boys and even I understand the purpose of GOTR. Despite what everyone thinks, our current society is still male-dominated and male-oriented. We've made some gender progress over the last few decades. But we are still an imbalanced society that favors males over females.

Trying to have organizations that teach girls how to navigate a male-dominated world, how to cope with male-dominated and male-oriented activities and sports, how to teach girls how to take care of themselves in a society that often does not consider them is valuable. When the majority of activities are male-centric and male-focused, having a handful of organizations like girl scouts, GOTR, STEM like a girl, etc are very useful in helping to continue to level the gender imbalance. There are running activities that are co-ed. Since the world and society tends to be oriented towards boys/males, there is less need for specialized groups just oriented towards boys to participate in the same activities. But if you want, there are plenty of activities that generally are boy-centric or focused.

If you can't recognize the imbalance, even after the recent new of how long it took to get women's soccer equal pay, or the fact that there is still an underwhelming female participation in STEM activities like robotics competitions or the fact that women still only earn 82 cents on the dollar for comparable background and experience, then you are truly clueless.

Not clueless. I am a female who works with a lot of strong, well-paid women, despite your generalization dad of boys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So tired of people dumping on volunteer-run programs. Why don't you step up for your boys.

Or just stop with the whole GENDER DISCRIMINATION and make it kids on the run.

Are those who are other gender declarations permitted to participate or do THEY need to start their own group too??


Honestly surprised that in this day and age we have GOTR and other gendering limited events going on at a public school.

Tell me you haven't read the curriculum without saying you haven't read the curriculum. I'll feel bad for boys when you can show many any girls sport with the budget and roster size of football

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So tired of people dumping on volunteer-run programs. Why don't you step up for your boys.

Or just stop with the whole GENDER DISCRIMINATION and make it kids on the run.

Are those who are other gender declarations permitted to participate or do THEY need to start their own group too??


Honestly surprised that in this day and age we have GOTR and other gendering limited events going on at a public school.

Look, I'm a dad of only boys and even I understand the purpose of GOTR. Despite what everyone thinks, our current society is still male-dominated and male-oriented. We've made some gender progress over the last few decades. But we are still an imbalanced society that favors males over females.

Trying to have organizations that teach girls how to navigate a male-dominated world, how to cope with male-dominated and male-oriented activities and sports, how to teach girls how to take care of themselves in a society that often does not consider them is valuable. When the majority of activities are male-centric and male-focused, having a handful of organizations like girl scouts, GOTR, STEM like a girl, etc are very useful in helping to continue to level the gender imbalance. There are running activities that are co-ed. Since the world and society tends to be oriented towards boys/males, there is less need for specialized groups just oriented towards boys to participate in the same activities. But if you want, there are plenty of activities that generally are boy-centric or focused.

If you can't recognize the imbalance, even after the recent new of how long it took to get women's soccer equal pay, or the fact that there is still an underwhelming female participation in STEM activities like robotics competitions or the fact that women still only earn 82 cents on the dollar for comparable background and experience, then you are truly clueless.

Not clueless. I am a female who works with a lot of strong, well-paid women, despite your generalization dad of boys.

DP - and GOTR coach - you need to get out of your bubble. I work with plenty of strong, well-paid, highly-educated women myself. I'm also well aware of the discrimination and abuse many women and girls face solely because they're women and girls. Pretending that we're in some kind of post-gender society is absurd at best, dangerous at worst.

Also, go find something else to hate on. I can think of so many better options than a program designed to build self-esteem and stamina in young women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Or just stop with the whole GENDER DISCRIMINATION and make it kids on the run.

Are those who are other gender declarations permitted to participate or do THEY need to start their own group too??


Honestly surprised that in this day and age we have GOTR and other gendering limited events going on at a public school.

The average 5th grade boy is not going to want to do through a visualization process that, yes, includes references to glitter and stars. The average 4th grade boy is not dealing with body image issues and media portrayals of boys' bodies in the same way as girls. Does your son want to sit and have a heart to heart discussion about media messages and how they impact our self worth?

There are ways in which boys and girls are different. That is a fact it is not a judgment. Meeting their unique needs is not a bad thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So tired of people dumping on volunteer-run programs. Why don't you step up for your boys.

Or just stop with the whole GENDER DISCRIMINATION and make it kids on the run.

Are those who are other gender declarations permitted to participate or do THEY need to start their own group too??


Honestly surprised that in this day and age we have GOTR and other gendering limited events going on at a public school.

Look, I'm a dad of only boys and even I understand the purpose of GOTR. Despite what everyone thinks, our current society is still male-dominated and male-oriented. We've made some gender progress over the last few decades. But we are still an imbalanced society that favors males over females.

Trying to have organizations that teach girls how to navigate a male-dominated world, how to cope with male-dominated and male-oriented activities and sports, how to teach girls how to take care of themselves in a society that often does not consider them is valuable. When the majority of activities are male-centric and male-focused, having a handful of organizations like girl scouts, GOTR, STEM like a girl, etc are very useful in helping to continue to level the gender imbalance. There are running activities that are co-ed. Since the world and society tends to be oriented towards boys/males, there is less need for specialized groups just oriented towards boys to participate in the same activities. But if you want, there are plenty of activities that generally are boy-centric or focused.

If you can't recognize the imbalance, even after the recent new of how long it took to get women's soccer equal pay, or the fact that there is still an underwhelming female participation in STEM activities like robotics competitions or the fact that women still only earn 82 cents on the dollar for comparable background and experience, then you are truly clueless.

Not clueless. I am a female who works with a lot of strong, well-paid women, despite your generalization dad of boys.

You work with the strong, smart women who are likely to be the overachievers or at least better achievers of any group and you think that discounts the need for programs like GOTR.

GOTR is for all girls including those girls who have the potential, but struggle to achieve in a system and society that undervalues them and does not seek to help them. GOTR helps the average girl still attain a measure of the success of the higher achievers.

Your posts reek of "I got mine so we don't have to help anyone else."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So tired of people dumping on volunteer-run programs. Why don't you step up for your boys.

Or just stop with the whole GENDER DISCRIMINATION and make it kids on the run.

Are those who are other gender declarations permitted to participate or do THEY need to start their own group too??


Honestly surprised that in this day and age we have GOTR and other gendering limited events going on at a public school.

Look, I'm a dad of only boys and even I understand the purpose of GOTR. Despite what everyone thinks, our current society is still male-dominated and male-oriented. We've made some gender progress over the last few decades. But we are still an imbalanced society that favors males over females.

Trying to have organizations that teach girls how to navigate a male-dominated world, how to cope with male-dominated and male-oriented activities and sports, how to teach girls how to take care of themselves in a society that often does not consider them is valuable. When the majority of activities are male-centric and male-focused, having a handful of organizations like girl scouts, GOTR, STEM like a girl, etc are very useful in helping to continue to level the gender imbalance. There are running activities that are co-ed. Since the world and society tends to be oriented towards boys/males, there is less need for specialized groups just oriented towards boys to participate in the same activities. But if you want, there are plenty of activities that generally are boy-centric or focused.

If you can't recognize the imbalance, even after the recent new of how long it took to get women's soccer equal pay, or the fact that there is still an underwhelming female participation in STEM activities like robotics competitions or the fact that women still only earn 82 cents on the dollar for comparable background and experience, then you are truly clueless.

Thank you for this post, and for your recognition of why we need girls' programs of all types, dad of boys. I wish some of the women on this thread understood what you phrase so well above.
--From someone who was a Girl Scout for many years as a kid, then a Girl Scout leader for 12 years

[Anonymous]

We got girls on the run last fall for the first time at our school. It was a wonderful program for the girls and the families involved. I was so proud to see my little girl run across the finish line, running her 1st 5K. Every day that I picked her up, she told me about the wonderful lesson they had learned today about self-esteem, and being true to oneself being kind, I’m reading all this today cause we’re trying to sign up for the fall event. The teachers at our school. They are all wonderful and I hope we have this program for a long long time. Thank you for all the time and effort that is put in by all the people that support this program.

[Anonymous]

Teacher here. I’ve listened from my classroom to the lessons and think they are terrific, and if they’d been around when my kid was young, I would have signed her right up.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why this is the only after school program my child's elementary school offers. A program only for girls. It's rediculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why this is the only after school program my child's elementary school offers. A program only for girls. It's rediculous.

So the way it works for GOTR is a parent volunteers to lead the program and you have a program.
Therefore, if you want a different program offered, you need to take the lead and volunteer to lead it.