Ever been to a Zumba class? Ever considered it to be a sport? While we might have been curious to try out a free taster session that one time, we were never under the impression it was a sport. Sure, you can work a sweat up doing those moves, but it doesn't get the heart racing the same way a game of, say, hockey might.
But Zumba is one of the things – alongside cheerleading and rollerskating – sports minister Helen Grant has suggested women take up in order to help close the gender gap that exists in sport. In 2014 1.8 million more men are partaking in sport on a regular basis than women, and clearly that should change.
In an interview with The Telegraph, that has since become the centre of much debate online, Grant reportedly said that one of the reasons women might not be partaking in sport as much as men, is because they're afraid of looking 'unfeminine.'
'You don’t have to feel unfeminine,' said Ms Grant. 'There are some wonderful sports which you can do and perform to a very high level and I think those participating look absolutely radiant and very feminine such as ballet, gymnastics, cheerleading and even roller-skating.'
Unsurprisingly, Grant's comments have caused some controversy. Laura Bates of the Everyday Sexism project responded to Grant by saying: 'It's actually discouraging for a minister to say this. With our great athletes performing fantastically at the Olympics, we still see media outlets focusing on the looks and femininity, which the comments seem to do too.'
However, the Conservative MP has now hit back at her critics, and denies using the word 'unfeminine.'
'I was specifically asked the question about what I, as the minister, was going to do about the girls who say they don't want to do sport because they see it as 'unfeminine', Grant told The Guardian.
'Those were not my words. My response then, and my response now, is very much that sport is for everyone. There are athletic sports, such as judo and karate, which I did. I've had ribs broken, I've broken toes, I've chipped my tooth – but I loved it, absolutely loved sport.
'You have to recognise that is not what every girl might want. As the minister, I have to look at – and will look at – what everyone wants. It really is a matter of saying "Well, if you don't want to do that, then what might you like?"', Grant continued.
'It might be gymnastics, it might be ballet, it could be dance. It could be anything. I don't really mind as long as we ask women and girls what they want and are prepared to give it to them. That's the message I wanted to give.'
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.