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Maybe it’s because I’m an Arizona local, or maybe it’s because this article inadvertently encourages my poker obsession, or maybe I’m just cheesy enough to love pieces like this, but either way, I loved this article posted in the New York Times last week.
Becca Kinsey is a 39-year old Tucson local, who after years of thinking chess was way too confusing, decided to give it a try. A couple months later, Kinsey and others have formed an all-ladies chess team consisting of sixteen members. Why should you care? Jean Hoffman, one of the founding members of the group, explained that the goal of 9 Queens was to encourage more girls and women, as well as students from low-income families, to take up chess. Girls make up a small fraction of the children who play in chess tournaments, and women competitors are even rarer. Bill Hall, executive director of the United States Chess Federation, estimated that fewer than 5 percent of the federation’s members are women over 21.
“My dad, my grandfather, my brother played,” Mrs. Kinsey said, “and it was something that the girls never did.”
I really think this is great. Many of my girlfriends have been discussing over the last year how much easier it is for guys to make friends, or to find a new group of friends. They join a sport, or game and start playing. It’s that easy. Maybe you don’t agree, but at least hear me out. I don’t have any intention of joining a flag football team (nor a soccer, softball, or basketball team). And even if I did, it’s sometimes difficult to find an entire team of women willing to play a sport, for fun, every week. Groups and clubs for women usually consist of sewing or crafting, which I don’t have a problem with or anything, but I’d like to do something a bit more stimulating. I do enjoy an occasional ladies night consisting of wine, shopping and gossip, but frankly, all that girlie stuff gets boring. And hey, I enjoy a little competitive camaraderie just like the guys do.
So what did my friends and I do about this predicament? We created a poker night—ladies only. Men would want to join and we would deny them, not wanting to create a more complicated dynamic. It lasted only a summer, but it was one of the most entertaining seasons of my life, and the friendships I made were priceless. So my point is that I praise women like Kinsey and Hoffman for encouraging women to try new things, get out of their comfort zone, and find stimulating ways to form relationships—how heartwarming? I know. If the men are having a poker/pool/chess/tiddlywinks night, the ladies should too.
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[...] Visit link: Chess: Now for Women, Too? – Zelda Lily: Feminism in a Bra [...]
Thanks for posting Kelsey, and I love the ladies poker night idea.
Hell yes. I agree that’s it’s great for these ladies to have an interesting outlet for something other than knitting or watching rom-coms together. (Don’t get me wrong — those things are fine; just seems like our options are a little more limited, doesn’t it?)
This kind of thing strikes me as an important step into an intellectual men’s club, too. Just like the smaller proportion of women involved in math and science. This is great!
Poker is fun. I have to admit though, chess kinda scares me. It seems so overwhelming to master it.
I love chess! I play with my brothers or my fiance, usually. We’re all pretty evenly matched, I’d say.
It can be a challenge when starting out, but you get the hang of it pretty quicky. Or maybe it was just easy for me since I’m a gamer and I love tactical RPGs.
I’m bad as it comes with cards and chess, BUT I enjoy Trivial Pursuit and the like :) And yeah, I find your idea very interesting!
Me too! My mind is full of tons of useless information.
I looooove Trivial Pursuit! I had an argument with my Mom a few months ago because she kept telling me it was called “Trivia Pursuit” instead of “Trivial!!!” :)
Good article! My boyfriend taught me how to play chess, and I really love it. I’m insanely competitive, though, so sometimes I do get frustrated because he always wins!! :) I think it’s a great idea to start a women-only activity, especially one that’s challenging, stimulating, and competitive. Thanks for the idea!
it makes sense considering the queen is the most powerful piece on the board.
bring on the speed chess dating!
“the queen is the most powerful piece on the board.”
And I always remind my (male) opponents of that!
I don’t like womens-only anything. It says to me that women are too inept or intimidated to play with men. And ugh to the estrogen overloads.
If I moved to a new city and wanted friends, I would join a number of groups of things that interest me. I would seek friends, men OR women that have my interests. If things I like tend to me more popular among men, I’d probably end up hanging out with more men. And I would be fine with that.
I’m not a fan of chess, but I’ve never felt that I couldn’t play it because I’m female. Or because I’d have to play against men (ooh, scaaaary…).
Poker night for the gals is a great idea, but there are plenty of other outlets to meet ang hang out with other girls…. That don’t involve needles or thread. Yoga, belly dance, theatre groups, cooking classes etc.