Subject: Yet more "Girls in Magic" discussion Date: Wed, 10 Jun 98 09:54:58 -0600 From: andy_ross_at_con084p4@dnrmail.state.il.us To: , I've been reading this discussion on the Dojo over the last few days, and though it is rare indeed that I actually *send* anything to the Dojo (as I am of the somewhat-untested opinion that I don't really belong among the leagues of the best deckbuilders or players -- and I've doubted that the Dojo was really interested in tournament reports from a small store in Jacksonville, Illinois, where I play), something about these letters has sparked a need for me to respond. Please pardon me if I get too wordy. ;) Cathy, Deann, and any other Magic-playing women who have posted between the time I last read and the time I wrote this letter: I would personally welcome you into the Magic community as I would any other. This does not mean that I would treat you "just like a guy"; but I see no reason to frown upon, rudely examine, murmur about, etc. a Magic player for the sole reason that she happens to be female. Perhaps, in this regard, I am what you would call "more mature" than many of those who attend the "important" tournaments (Grand Prix or Pro Tours, for example). I would like to see more women playing Magic -- I would like to see more *people* playing Magic -- because, no matter how competitive I can sometimes get in a heated match for the dubious honor of first place in an 8-person tournament ;), Magic, for me, has been just as much a social exercise as a mental one. But perhaps I digress as well. Those who believe that women are "less capable" of playing Magic, or think that, by a woman's very nature, she is less likely to "take it seriously", seem to me to be impossibly generalizing. There are occasionally females, six to sixty, in our (sort-of-)weekly tournaments, and while not all of them are excellent players or deck-builders, very few of the males are any good anyway (and, depending on the day, I either fall into that category or I don't ^_^). It's competition; but it's not too fierce. I've never been to one of the "important" tournaments, but I respect the level of play they must have. I'm sure that, for anyone who isn't ready for them (men or women), the likelily-hideous loss would be very discouraging. Whether women take this loss more to heart than men, I cannot guess. Different *people* will take it harder or easier, depending. Magic is a rare "sport", in that by its design it is quite likely for the sexes to play against each other and be evenly matched (many sports assume that skill levels will differ between the sexes and thus we have separate leagues for male and female basketball players, tennis players, and so on). But, as has been said before, the "sport" of Magic is still immature, quite possibly because many players in the higher-visibility tournaments exhibit immaturity themselves. *Nobody* wants to play against someone who is a "bad sport". Perhaps, were an "ethical revolution" to occur among the populace of tournaments, we would see more and more players -- men and women -- come and enjoy the competitive nature of Magic. I might even try out a Qualifier myself. Maybe what Magic needs is a role model along the lines of Tiger Woods. Or maybe they just need shower stalls at the major tourneys. Either way, more women might come. ;) Please do not take any comments in this letter as biased (more than is unavoidable, anyway) or insulting; I assure you they were not meant in that manner. Play on. Respectfully, Paul Andrew Ross (P.S.: do that many PTQ and PT players really go without a shower? It sounds so ludicrous to me...in fact, it's disturbing...blech...)