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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Girls give FA red card over advice to get them into football | Girls give FA red card over advice to get them into football |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Pupils at a County Durham school have shown the red card to the Football Association over its advice to try and get more girls into the sport. | |
| A document on its website included suggestions girls should be offered "colourful, nice smelling" bibs and pink whistles. | A document on its website included suggestions girls should be offered "colourful, nice smelling" bibs and pink whistles. |
| Football is popular with girls at Lumley Junior School and some wrote to the FA taking issue with the tips. | |
| The FA said the document was created after research and feedback. | The FA said the document was created after research and feedback. |
| The opening suggestion is to: "Advertise in places where girls go i.e. coffee shops or on the back of toilet doors." | The opening suggestion is to: "Advertise in places where girls go i.e. coffee shops or on the back of toilet doors." |
| Deputy head Carol Hughes came across the document while researching resources to use in writing week. | Deputy head Carol Hughes came across the document while researching resources to use in writing week. |
| "I was absolutely horrified, and actually laughed out loud at some of the suggestions," she said. | "I was absolutely horrified, and actually laughed out loud at some of the suggestions," she said. |
| "I took it to another teacher and she had the same response." | "I took it to another teacher and she had the same response." |
| 'Not Barbie dolls' | 'Not Barbie dolls' |
| Some of her year six pupils wrote to the FA, saying although the document was done with the best of intentions, they found it insulting. | Some of her year six pupils wrote to the FA, saying although the document was done with the best of intentions, they found it insulting. |
| "We aren't brainless Barbie dolls. We don't all like the same colour - pink," one of the pupils said. Another added: "We don't need pink whistles and we don't have big mouths, so why do we need a big mouth water bottle." | "We aren't brainless Barbie dolls. We don't all like the same colour - pink," one of the pupils said. Another added: "We don't need pink whistles and we don't have big mouths, so why do we need a big mouth water bottle." |
| Another member of the class said: "The stereotypical thought of advertising in coffee shops as 'it is where girls go' is disgraceful." While a fourth pupil said: "I play for Middlesbrough and know countless girls that are interested in football and not one agrees with this." | Another member of the class said: "The stereotypical thought of advertising in coffee shops as 'it is where girls go' is disgraceful." While a fourth pupil said: "I play for Middlesbrough and know countless girls that are interested in football and not one agrees with this." |
| A spokesman for the FA said: "The FA is committed to doubling female football participation by 2020 and to growing the women's game at all levels, from elite to grassroots. | A spokesman for the FA said: "The FA is committed to doubling female football participation by 2020 and to growing the women's game at all levels, from elite to grassroots. |
| "The document was created following research into women and girls playing football, with feedback from both participants and non-participants. | "The document was created following research into women and girls playing football, with feedback from both participants and non-participants. |
| "We're very pleased to see how many girls at the school play football and the passion for the game that they clearly have." | "We're very pleased to see how many girls at the school play football and the passion for the game that they clearly have." |
| 'Naive rather than sexist' | 'Naive rather than sexist' |
| Durham Women FC player, Helen Alderson, said she thought the FA had been naive. | Durham Women FC player, Helen Alderson, said she thought the FA had been naive. |
| She said: "If you look through the whole document some of it is alright - they've tried to put themselves in the shoes of girls and women. | She said: "If you look through the whole document some of it is alright - they've tried to put themselves in the shoes of girls and women. |
| "I'm a little bit disappointed in the FA - they've been naive rather than sexist. If they reviewed the document fully they might pull it." | "I'm a little bit disappointed in the FA - they've been naive rather than sexist. If they reviewed the document fully they might pull it." |