Philly Archdiocese Decides Girls Can’t Play Football Because of “Inappropriate Touching”

Oh, the irony. A 20-person panel appointed by the Philadelphia Archdiocese has decided to uphold a ban on girls in grades 5-8 from playing CYO football. (The ban stemmed from the case of Bucks County 11-year-old Caroline Pla, who’s been on Good Morning America, and elsewhere, pleading her case.) One main reason? Concern over “inappropriate touching.” You’ve got to be kidding me.

One scenario the group was told to picture was a female quarterback putting her hands too close to the posterior of a male center. When asked what that meant, one source inferred the female QB would then be inclined to start inappropriately touching the center. The other source inferred that the boy might like the touching and perhaps more kids would start signing up to play the sport.

Not that this will surprise you, but: “the panel included zero representation from Pla’s Romans football teams from either season she played, or anyone with any experience coaching co-ed football who could comment with practice or game day testimony.” Or, despite the Church’s promises, anyone with medical expertise. The meeting occurred privately last week; what happened during the meeting was divulged by two anonymous attendees. [Forbes]