The two established journalists may have created a sport that seems even less engaging and less lucrative than women’s professional basketball: it’s women’s professional baseball.
Kaitlyn Tiffany and Ellen Cushing, writers for Atlantic, recently participated in an “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) session on Reddit, a platform for discussing Major League Baseball (MLB). During this, one user posed a question about why girls are often categorized under softball instead of baseball.
“I think the history of baseball is really significant in American culture—it’s often viewed as a symbol of democracy and other values that some might argue make it too important for girls to join in,” Tiffany suggested.
Interestingly, Tiffany has also penned a piece in Atlantic talking about the “baffling reality” that women face limited opportunities in high school, college, or professional baseball.
In her article, she implies that while there’s a range among male baseball players, the differences are likely quite pronounced when you contrast genders in sports.
A relevant anecdote is former University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, formerly known as William Thomas. Transitioning to compete with women after three years as a male swimmer, she reportedly moved from position #462 as a man to #1 as a woman, which sparked some discontent among her female teammates.
Returning to Tiffany’s commentary, she admits that women often don’t engage in sports like soccer, calling them “vulgar.” Yet, it’s unclear why she doesn’t further discuss this observation.
Soccer, for instance, embraces a range of physical abilities. Larger players might excel in certain positions, while smaller, quicker players can find their own strengths. So, Tiffany’s angle on this issue seems puzzling, introducing some confusion about the push for gender equality in sports—a topic that remains a significant civil rights issue.
Cushing, contributing her views, expressed disdain for certain baseball traditions, specifically “kiss cams,” calling them awkward and often linked to embarrassment, which can lead to homophobia.
In a broader discussion on their expertise, the two women engaged with commenters on the Atlantic’s Facebook page as they questioned the absence of professional baseball for women and pondered the impact of climate change on the sport.
One commenter raised the point: “What does the climate have to do with women’s baseball?” Another questioned if Tiffany and Cushing are truly the right voices to discuss baseball matters.
Perhaps they aren’t, but they certainly are adept at navigating the surrounding conversations, especially where baseball intersects with various political issues.
