This thread was supposed to be more of a platform for flinta-players to share their thoughts on the low participation at EHBPC/WHBPC. Especially since evidently (to me?!) we have been seeing rising participation of flinta players at tournaments apart from the two mentioned previously.
But I guess this thread has become more of a place to discuss the general topic of flinta inclusion and unfortunately a majority of the space is taken by non-flinta participants. I acknowledge this when writing the following:
I can understand that mandatory mixed championship might be a point that people disagree on.
However, flinta-only tournaments and pickups - aka safe spaces for flinta people - is where I have trouble understanding the viewpoint of those that oppose it {EDIT: Oppose is the wrong word - …understanding the viewpoint of those that regard it as discrimination towards non-flinta… is a better phrasing for what I meant to say}. This is not discrimination against non-flinta players. There is no need to compensate by hosting “man-only” events.
Vienna has a relatively large amount of flinta players. As much as I like to think our club has always been very welcoming to new players, it is only after Conny introduced flinta-only pickups that we started to really see a bigger and more sustainable influx of flinta players to the club.
I have no doubt that such safe spaces play a major role to increase flinta participation in polo and that it requires the support from non-flinta players.
Specifically to the discussion in this thread:
Pajac already hinted to this in the last paragraph of his first post. I think such type of knockout arguments (“Totschlagargumente”) are not beneficial to the exchange of thoughts.
Do I think some of the recent posts came from a position of privilege/ignorance? Yes
Do I want everyone to be able to voice their opinions and thoughts (regardless of whether I agree or not with their stance) as long as I can sense a genuine interest the discourse? Yes