Krypton Factor - Female advantage fair?

[Desmo]

We were watching the new series of Krypton Factor last night and there were 3 men and 1 woman. They got to the physical assault course stage and the woman was given a head start (minor as it was at 5 seconds I think).

Is this fair? I don't think it is. If you want to go on an all round mental and physical agility programme then you shouldn't get any advantage in any round. There are some mental skills that women are proven to be better in than men, so did the men get given any head start in those? Of course not.

So, stick your vote in the poll. I'm going to make this public so we can see who's voted. Will be interesting in how the male/female split goes

[Mark]

C'mon - get your finger out - where's the poll?

Anyway, yes, it's fair. I've no doubt that that course is very heavily tested and supervised (military involvement?) so they'll know what is achievable both for men and women. If the advantage wasn't given, it's very unlikely women would ever win (unless the men were all slobs, of course). You wouldn't expect a female marathon runner (at peak fitness) to beat a male runner (also at peak), for example.

[Admiral Huddy]

No but I would expect a fit female to outrun an unfit male. Therefore, the advantage is outdated imo.

[Burble]

Equality frequently seems to only work in one direction.. In this case though I think it's fair.

[Desmo]

Originally Posted by Mark

You wouldn't expect a female marathon runner (at peak fitness) to beat a male runner (also at peak), for example.

You're right, I wouldn't. But then they don't compete against each other do they

My point is is that this is an overall competition of mental and physical abilities where the men and women compete against each other directly. Why should a person gain an advantage just because they're not physically as capable?

[Mark]

Originally Posted by Desmo

You're right, I wouldn't. But then they don't compete against each other do they

But why don't they compete against each other?

Originally Posted by Desmo

My point is is that this is an overall competition of mental and physical abilities where the men and women compete against each other directly. Why should a person gain an advantage just because they're not physically as capable?

It's not an advantage because they're not physically as capable. It's an advantage because females on average are not physically as capable. God (if you believe in one) designed them for other purposes.

The alternative is to have two entirely separate Krypton Factor competitions.

Equality is a complete nonsense anyway when it comes to matters of the body. If men and women were truly equal, then men would be capable of making babies.

[Desmo]

Originally Posted by Mark

But why don't they compete against each other?

I know why they don't compete against each other. I know there are physical differences.

Originally Posted by Mark

The alternative is to have two entirely separate Krypton Factor competitions.

Coolio, suits me.

To me, it's like a woman wanting to play football with the men but asking the men to only tackle at 80% of the toughness they normally would. Or maybe a woman could play rugby with men but be exempt from scrums?

All I'm saying is, if you want to compete against each other then do it. If don't, don't.

[Matblack]

Sorry don't agree; there are areas where women are superier to men and visa versa but the only test that features on the show is skewed one way (towards the men), to balance this the women get a slight time advantage. Its a handicap race (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handicap_race) designed to even out the advantage and make a more even outcome, by no means is it a perfect solution, but it is fairer than no advanntage at all. I would put money on the fact that if you removed the handicap that men would move up the rankings over the whole series of tests and you'd be less likey to see a female winner (by no means would it prove impossible though).

If the purpose of the program was to prove that men are stronger over an assault course than women I would run the two parallell but its not, its a compromise to allow the sexes to compete on 'equal' (handicaped to even advantage) terms over a whole series of tests with only one test giving an advantage in one direction.

MB

[Desmo]

OK, here's another angle on this.

It's 2012. The London Olympics and there's a new event, the mixed 100m. Men and woman can choose to compete in this event together. Should the women be given a head start?

[Rich_L]

They should have a ironing or cleaning race to even it out, only way to be fair

[/runs]