I Like Sports and I Don't Care Who Knows

I have hobbies that don't fall under what many consider traditional female interests.  I didn't get involved with them to make some moral gender statement.  I'm not trying to be some Alice Paul and make a broad statement that spits in the face of injustice and unfairness across the world.  I happened to grow up around some unconventional things, and I just happened to find them interesting.  I think the unconventional makes a person more intriguing with unique ideas and perspectives to offer. 

But it still irks me when the reactions I get are those of complete shock, as if it's insane for me to like anything beyond cooking, cleaning, and makeup.  It's almost as though my hobbies need to be mutually exclusive and can't possibly meld together in any form.  And yes, you may not see how pretty handbags and fire arms can co-mingle, but I do and that's what matters.

I started off justifying each of my "non-traditional" interests and deleted it all upon further review.  I don't need to prove I know anything about these things--I don't really care if I get your approval.  The point I want to focus on is that it shouldn't be so shocking for me to say, "I follow pro football" and have someone else try to decipher whether or not I mean it.

Maybe it's too many years of women feigning interest in "man things" to impress their boyfriends or to get more attention from a group of them (and if you're a chick who does that, STOP IT).  Maybe we're not as evolved as we think we are and still hold fast onto gender roles, despite the statistics that say those days are over.  Maybe it's just impossible to believe someone could possibly know anything about a sport/hobby that you almost never see the opposite gender openly participate.

Whatever the excuse, it's growing increasingly frustrating.  I want to enjoy my hobbies, not feel like I have to justify my spot at the table.  And just because I'm watching an F1 race, shhh-ing you so I don't miss a radio transmission, don't assume I won't go shoe shopping immediately after the race.  I promise I'll refrain from any preconceived notions about you in return.

This weekend is jammed packed with fun, too.  An Italian car show, the F1 race in Monza, A&M vs Florida, and the highly anticipated return of Peyton Manning taking on the Steel Curtain.  Personally, I hope he's really angry and takes it out on everyone.  One more month and I can start adding hockey back into the mix.  Yay!

I don't care how old this is, it always makes me laugh.  And everyone deserves to laugh on a Friday.