Why do they separate men and women in shooting competitions ?

[Keith Glasscock]

I think it is all just a holdover from other types of shooting events where physical strength and stamina are the limiting factors for a shooter.

In F-class, I think there is really little need to separate people out by age/gender/profession like there is in say, bullseye pistol. That said, I'm NOT advocating changing anything. I like those rules just as they are.

 

[billlarson]

Women are just built different.........
bill

 

[NorCalMikie]

Women are just built different.........

And much better looking too. Thank you Lord for that.

I think the men are separated from the women because the men can't stand getting their butts handed to them on a regular basis and wouldn't admit it anyway.

 

[kzin]

Out of curiosity I looked at the 2016 Olympic shooting results
Here's where the top qualifying* woman would have placed in the men's qualifying.
trap - 9th
skeet - 4th
50m 3p rifle - 2nd
10m air pistol - 2nd
10m air rifle - T1st

So short of swinging around a 12 gauge they don't need any help, and very,very little there.

* Olympic finals are head to head and the qualifying is with different round counts so these are compared by percentage in qualification.

 

[Papa Charlie]

I believe this is a hold over as stated, but also, I think it remains to help build the sport. I would imagine there are a lot of women that would not have started in competition without having a division of their own to get comfortable with the sport and their abilities.
I think that women should be able to shoot in their own class should they wish or to compete in the general class.
I would hope that men are confident enough not to require their own division.

 

[hogpatrol]

The shooting sports are way behind the times. There are 51 different gender identities on Facebook.

 

[Nobody]

Well, since they're already as good or better we may end up being the one sport where some dude doesn't get a "sex change" so he can dominate the women's sport... So we've got that going for us...which is nice.

 

[mikecr]

Competition is not recruiting, but eliminating.
And when it's suggested that we should separate women to get them into the sport, keep in mind that you're separating accomplishment. "Now that's great shooting ->for a women".. "Best of 7"..
Ouch

I imagine that a poll among new shooters would show that those truly competitive would prefer no separations from the rest of the field. The rest might be intimidated not so much by their own potential, but by the size of the field (the challenge).
For them, if they're consistently welcomed as part of the club, I think they'll keep coming back to shoot with the good folks who would do that.
Either way, when they accomplish, it's full value. It's a big deal.

 

[kneedtospeed]

Or we could update the entry forms, to include a box for your "unique" status, so as not to offend the new wave coming at us. That way Everyone could shoot in their Own class, and go home as a Winner!
That is in no way aimed at, or meant to offend the Women/Girls we shoot with. From my experience, most Any one of them is Very capable of Winning outright, on any given day, and Often Do!
I enjoy shooting with, and respect every female I have met in the sport.

 

[Berger.Fan222]

Women are just built different.........
bill

You don't say ...

Competition is not recruiting, but eliminating.

Most amateur sports have strong components of both recruiting (increasing participation) as well as eliminating (ranking competitors).

Or haven't you ever been frustrated that even though you shot the highest score (or second highest) that there were not enough entries to award a 1st (or 2nd) place?

Or haven't you ever been frustrated that a regular sporting event you loved was cancelled due to low participation?

For most sporting events, there is a critical mass (participation and revenue) needed to keep the ship afloat. In NRA sanctioned events, the NRA is also using these events to build the shooting skills of the public (in service of the purpose of the 2nd Amendment) as well as recruiting new members (or upgraded members) in service of their perceived need of $$$ to execute the RKBA aspects of their mission.

 

[Ringostar]

In F class and NRA Hi power there is not a gender separation. There is classification separation on shooting ability. Everyone is shooting for overall match winner. Some matches give additional awards for top of each classification, along with high junior, senior, grand senior and woman. However there is no separate woman's class. They are placed with the men by known shooting ability.

 

[XTR]

It certainly isn't due to potential ability. (look at the Wimbledon Cup records)

I'm sure it's to promote shooting to women who generally participate less.

 

[Joe Salt]

I for one would rather teach a woman to shoot, than a man. Women haven't got that Macho thing going on in there heads. They do what you tell them, Just as far as the shooting goes that is.
They pay attention and don't worry about winning all the time. Men get something in there heads, I know what I'm doing and then that's it. They won't listen.


Joe Salt

 

[butchlambert]

Out of curiosity I looked at the 2016 Olympic shooting results
Here's where the top qualifying* woman would have placed in the men's qualifying.
trap - 9th
skeet - 4th
50m 3p rifle - 2nd
10m air pistol - 2nd
10m air rifle - T1st

So short of swinging around a 12 gauge they don't need any help, and very,very little there.

* Olympic finals are head to head and the qualifying is with different round counts so these are compared by percentage in qualification.

Actually Ginny Thrasher scored 208 in the 10m air rifle and Niccolo Campriania, men's champ, and he scored 206. So Ginny beat him. Ginny shoots for West Virginia University and so did Niccolo before graduating. WVU is the winningest NCAA shooting team of all time. Their team is dominated by the young ladies.

 

[kzin]

Actually Ginny Thrasher scored 208 in the 10m air rifle and Niccolo Campriania, men's champ, and he scored 206. So Ginny beat him. Ginny shoots for West Virginia University and so did Niccolo before graduating. WVU is the winningest NCAA shooting team of all time. Their team is dominated by the young ladies.

That was in the head to head 'playoffs', I posted the qualification scores as possibly more statistically meaningful. But, yes, that also shows that the top woman may best the top man at any time.

 

[swadiver]

View attachment 1032574 The shooting sports are way behind the times. There are 51 different gender identities on Facebook. View attachment 1032575

don't even go there.

 

[Jennb]

In F class men and women do not compete separately. There are many special award categories as well as records. Junior, women, senior, grand senior, police, veterans and so forth. We all compete for the same class classification wins, match wins and aggregate wins. Go to the NRA National Records and you will see the different categories.

And for those who dont know I also co-hold a couple records with the men.

 

[Jennb]

I believe this is a hold over as stated, but also, I think it remains to help build the sport. I would imagine there are a lot of women that would not have started in competition without having a division of their own to get comfortable with the sport and their abilities.
I think that women should be able to shoot in their own class should they wish or to compete in the general class.
I would hope that men are confident enough not to require their own division.

There are not enough women shooters to have their own class unless it is a class of one!

 

[butchlambert]

That was in the head to head 'playoffs', I posted the qualification scores as possibly more statistically meaningful. But, yes, that also shows that the top woman may best the top man at any time.

I thought the finals were the tell, tell. That left the best against the best.

 

[Eddie Harren]

The IBS does not distinguish, by gender, in short range score shooting. My wife Sara, as well as several other very accomplished females, competed on an even playing field with the boys for years. Sara used to laugh when the group shooters wives competed in the "powder puff" competition set up for the women.
Records, championships and SSOY results are not kept separately due to gender.
Ina Reese, Peggy McKean, Sara Harren, Judy Feldman, Hillary Martinez, Margie Shankle, Helen Long and Kim Llewellyn are just a few of the girls who have sent me home without a patch or trophy.