"Women’s Event" versus "Ladies Event"
Despite the many strides that our society has made towards a gender equal society, the poker world is still fighting for gender neutrality. Nowhere is this more noticeable than in the constant debate over the validity of female only tournaments. My intent here is not to tackle the larger validity of these female only poker games, but to look closely at the terms that we use to describe them. There is a raging debate over whether female only poker tournaments should be called women’s events or ladies events. Each of these terms carries a very specific social meaning, and knowing the difference will help you make an informed choice in your own life. The current terminology tends to favor “ladies events” by a slight majority over the more neutral “women’s events”. The problem with this terminology is that it harkens back to antiquated notions of ladies and gentlemen that are no longer honored in our society. Ladies, as a term, carries social weight and meaning. Women is a neutral term that simply denotes the gender of the participants. There may never truly be perfect equality in this world, but watching our terms will get us one step closer to achieving something like equality in the poker online world.
