The western world’s push towards equality is a tricky one. Whilst opportunity should be afforded to everyone in a position, or with the skills to take it, regardless of gender, race or religion, in practice, opening up the opportunity to all means we have to put some deep-seated values aside.
#16 one of the hardest things I had to do was face this women, although it messed with me mentally her support through the whole process got me through @louise.gabbitas.89 #21💚#saswhodareswins #whodareswins #military #sas #saswdw #crossfit #fitness #mentalhealthawareness pic.twitter.com/VQOjODwtzC
— Nat (@Natonthemap_) January 14, 2019
In an extreme case of this, on SAS recruitment reality show Who Dares Wins, a female contestant came up against a male opponent in a brutal boxing match. The show opened up the opportunity for women to apply to mirror the SAS’s own recruitment rules which were opened up to women recently as well.
Whilst, generally speaking, men are physiologically stronger than women, there are always outliers, and these women should be given the same opportunity should selections be based on performance. The episode was designed to shock. Contestants were matched against each other, male to male, female to female, but suddenly the producer had a wild thought to open up an opportunity for a female to test herself against a man.
29-year-old midwife Louise Gabbitas from Cornwell stuck her hand up and came up against 27-year-old buff student Nathaniel. The result was considerably one-sided. Make no mistake, Louise is one tough cookie, throwing punches and taking what Nathaniel dished out like a champ. However, the young man was too much for her in the end.
I'm all for women having this opportunity but modesty is not a luxury u can have when working in those conditions, u want to be with the high fliers u must be equal… #whodareswins
— Becki 💙🏴 (@Bex___86) January 6, 2019
His speed and power took her completely off guard and she was on the back foot immediately. The fight only lasted a few seconds before it was stopped. Post-fight, the chief instructor on the show, ex-forces Ant Middleton warned the recruits, ‘The enemy doesn’t care what gender, race or religion you are’. Spare a thought for a male, Nathaniel, who also had to overcome deep-seated morals of not exhibiting violence towards women and unleash the beating. He tweeted:
I am 100% for equal rights for women and their right to qualify for special forces and for all walks of life. So shave your heads like the lads have to,they have no choice and neither should the girls. Equality right ? #WhoDaresWins
— Simon Hastings (@VoodoosDrummer) January 13, 2019
#16 one of the hardest things I had to do was face this women, although it messed with me mentally her support through the whole process got me through @louise.gabbitas.89 #21💚 Check out the brutal beating and applaud Louise’s bravery in breaking the mold in the player below.
