Gym for some students can be a tough part of a schedule.

What can make it even worse is the mocking and shaming you can get for doing badly in an activity. It isn’t like that in every single case, but recently it has been out of control. Everything doesn’t need a rude and reckless comment from fellow students. Sometimes people could just say, “You did good..maybe sometime I could help you on that throw.” That’s better than, “You threw like a girl.” And what’s crazy is that phrase is sometimes said to boys. Don’t you think it’s time for that to be put to rest?

I’ve seen many examples of this happen. Frankly it’s not cool, especially since the people shaming are doing the same things there shaming another person for. Not everyone is going to be perfect. Let me remind you this is high school, and everyone makes mistakes here. Plus, it’s definitely not like we’re about to win a million dollars for getting a better pacer score then the rest. Sometimes, things students say jokingly in gym can hurt somebody seriously. Some people might not show it, but the words some people can say aren’t just words; they’re rocks being thrown at someone. And some of my peers fail to realize that.

Calling someone fat just because they stopped at ten on the curl-ups doesn’t prove anything. You really don’t know what that person is going through; they could have an old injury. If a girl beats a boy, his friends call him an inappropriate word and say he’s weak. Maybe some of the things we say should just stay thoughts, because everybody’s situation is different.

It’s not even just boys calling girls out because they throw like girls. It’s also girls calling boys out because they can’t play a sport. Not every boy is athletic and neither is every girl. And I don’t know why people actually think that by pressuring them–by calling them weak or saying they throw like a “girl”–they’ll get better. It won’t. Taunting just makes it worse.

Maybe we should give them some space and let them actually play the game and practice. People can’t expect others to be just like them. If they are struggling in gym, try helping them out a little. I understand everybody isn’t everybody’s best friend, but, if you want to win that badly, help your teammate succeed. You never know; they could end up being somebody that you’ll need help from later on.

I get the whole “we have to win; there’s no other option” thing, but crushing another kid’s spirits shouldn’t be one of the plays. Sometimes you can’t just choose your best friend as a partner, and you just have to work with someone you don’t really know. That’s okay; everyone isn’t perfect at everything they do. And if you are that person, that’s great for you. Just help that unwanted partner out, and they could become your new best friend.