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February 23rd, 2011
03:45 PM ET
Wrestler who refused to grapple with girl explains decisionThe high school wrestler in Iowa who forfeited a match against a girl in a state tournament last week says he objected both to "compromising" positions that such a match could entail and to the idea of inflicting violence on a girl. “Wrestling is a combat sport, and at times it gets violent, and you get put in moves and holds that are comprising,” said Joel Northrup, a sophomore. “I just don’t believe it's right that a boy and a girl should, in this manner, wrestle.” Northrup’s dad, Jamie, said that the decision to forfeit was his son’s alone but that it reflected the family’s Christian convictions. “Even though there’s no specific Scripture that addresses wrestling with girls, there is the biblical Christian principle of treating women with respect and dignity,” Jamie Northrup said, “and not looking at them as objects to be defeated on the wrestling mat to be, in some cases, groped or slammed.” Joel Northrup, of Linn-Mar, forfeited a match Thursday to Cassy Herkelman, a freshman from Cedar Falls, who then advanced by default. Both Northrup and Herkelman lost subsequent matches and were eliminated from the tournament before the finals. But Northrup said Wednesday that he would forfeit a match against a girl even if it meant giving up a state championship. “I would give up the chance," he said. "I wouldn’t wrestle a girl, whether it’s finals or any other meet or districts.” Northrup said female wrestlers should face other girls. |
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Why is this news? This is totally unimportant. Her choice to play, his choice to forefit, can we move on now?
So, if a Chrisitian follows his conscience, he needs to "grow a pair," but if he didn't I suppose you'd vilify him as a hypocrite, eh?
They don't care what he does. Just so long as he says he's Christian and says he supports the same politics they do. That's all that they really want.
What you obviously don't understand – is that there are more important principles in life than "growing a pair" – 'eh??
Hogwash. The first scripture is that it it NOT GOOD for a man to touch a woman. That settles it. Keeping that one Saith the Lord would save a lot of babies and grief.
Putting Christianity aside, if he wrestles the girl he may be uncomfortable grabbing her in certain places.
We are starting to see more female wrestlers participating in the sport, hopefully soon it will no longer be co-ed. That will allow for better matches for the girls. This boy made his decision and forfeited his match. I don't know if he would have won or lost and it doesn't matter. I do feel for the girl, I imagine that she spent the season practicing like the other kids and her chance to show what she had accomplished was taken from her.
So, let me get this straight . . . the kid's dad thinks that women should be treated with respect and dignity and therefore not wrestled, but that men should not be treated the same way (i.e., with respect and dignity)?
What a load of crap. I think she's got bigger balls than he does.
Where's Andy Kaufman when you need him... 😉
An example of how religion makes people narrow-minded....
Imagine what would happen if she started to lose, then claimed he had touched her inappropriately?
Or if he got visibly excited rolling around on the mat with her?
Bible B.S. or not, he may simply have done the smart thing, otherwise it'd be all his fault.
I think his refusal is based more on carnal desires than on religious values.
He wants to reserve his opportunities of close physical encounters with someone he would marry and have babies with in the future. He wants to preserve the pleasure of such encounters rather than having his future sense of pleasure and enjoyment being diluted by previous extra-curricular encounters.
i am a woman and i support the boy's decision. I dont think feminists or men need to prove a point by fighting men. We are both good at different things. I think the boy was put in a difficult spot ! And if i were a boy, i wouldn't fight a woman as a matter of principle.
I do not get it. Is he gay ? or religious? or both. I love wrestling women. but I am straight and agnostic.
I don't blame him. Who wants to wrestle a girl? Girls are gross!
I bet the girl was disappointed that she couldn't wrestle...something that she is obviously good enough at to be allowed to do it with boys. But, this guy has every right to withdraw and he did so respectfully. I commend the maturity that he showed in both standing up for his beliefs and doing it without being long-winded or annoying about it.
what kind off crap is this, why would they even put a girl against a guy, does that happen alot? and if it does don't girls lose like 99% of the time? we're just generally bigger and more muscular how could we ever lose in a grappling sport such as this one
Aren't there weight classes? If two men weigh 150 pounds, does that make them both lose, or win? 150 lbs and fit is 150 lbs and fit. It has nothing to do with genitals.
@tj
Of course it matters! Weight on its own is not an accurate indicator when it comes to male and female. Males have a lower percent body fat so the same weight is in muscular mass rather than fat. Are you saying that if a man and women weigh the same they are equals in the ring? that if they weigh the same the girl has the same amount of strength as the boy? That she can flip him grapple him just as well? If so brush up on you anatomy
I don't fault him, but to say it is because of his religion is silly. His feeling are inline with how western culture views females. Not necessarily as weaker, but as valuable. Western culture frowns on harming women and men are raised to protect women. This is why we grapple with the idea of women in combat situations. He may have truly felt awful if he hurt the girl. I cannot blame him for that.
What? He SPECIFICALLY says it is because of his religious beliefs so how can you say its silly?
So instead of protected, we should stone them if they wear clothes too revealing or try to be educated. Is that the more enlightened approach?
Of course he's afraid to wrestle her: He's afraid he'll LOSE!
The boy didn't want to risk getting his butt whipped by a girl.
I doubt it. He should have wrestled her and made a statement for all men by beating her and making her think about wrestling men. Of course for all I know she may be part boy. Hermaphrodite??
smart kid and a gentleman to boot but of course the feminazis will not see it this way
Didn't know it was considered gentlemanly and respectful to embarrass her and ignore the fact the she was the one who chose to wrestle.