Striving to Be Box Free by Kelly Sajonia
Topic: Boxes
Boxes.
There are many in baseball.
There’s a catcher’s box, the batter’s box, and two coach’s boxes found in foul territory by first and third base. There are the highly coveted box seats for spectators too.
When it comes to baseball, I find there is another box; it’s the one people attempt to put me in when baseball is brought up in conversation.
It quickly becomes clear how much I know about the sport and what a passion it is for me: certain teams I follow, baseball strategies, the upcoming season, my favorite manager, and more.
And then the questions begin.
“Why do you like baseball so much?”
“Did you have brothers growing up?”
“Was your dad a big fan of the sport?”
“What guy in your life turned you on to baseball?”
I cringe with each comment received and always wonder if these questions are ever asked of men. Is it really that odd? Why does emphasis need to be placed on why I like baseball?
Of course I know the answer to the question: because I am a female.
There are many boxes people want to place others in based upon gender, race, sex, sexual orientation, political affiliation, and more. But no one fits perfectly in these boxes. Stereotypes have the potential to limit one’s greatness, creativity, happiness, and more.
Why can’t we just uniquely be?
No boxes to define us.
Simply living our lives, happily box-free.
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[…] the prompt for featured writers at The Write On Project is Boxes. It was a great topic to inspire a piece that begins with baseball and ends with stereotypes. A special thanks to Jared for babysitting this writer to get a piece out of me each […]
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I’ll put you in one of two boxes- those who recognize that the DH is an abomination or those that don’t.
That is all. 😉
Ha! That is such a touchy subject Jack!
Put me in the box of those that know absolutely nothing about baseball – but cricket, that’s a very different box.
Well, and I have no idea about cricket!
I get put in the ‘not very manly’ box for not following sport at all and for not driving a car and for reading books and philosophical essays and for being bad at DIY and for being a good cook. I’m in the apron wearing males box… you know what I don’t care! I’m with you the not being put in boxes thing. Anyway it was a great post because when you began talking about a sport I was trying hard not to switch off, but you kept me reading. God bless.
Thank you for the comment Richard. I am so happy you stuck it out with baseball focus at the beginning of the piece. With all of your out-of-the-box interests, you sound like someone I would enjoy spending time with. You have great interests! Thanks for visiting and taking the time to comment.