"In terms of soccer, it wasn't really a thing that girls did. In England it more kind of Net Ball and Hockey and stuff like that in athletics. It's to each their own, really"
About this Quote
Parminder Nagra points to the gendered landscape of sport she grew up in, where football in England was coded as a boys activity while girls were guided toward netball, hockey, and track. The matter-of-fact tone underscores how powerful social norms can be without any explicit rule forbidding participation. If a sport is not offered in school, not resourced, and not modeled by older girls, it effectively becomes off-limits. Her phrasing suggests a culture of soft discouragement rather than outright prohibition.
The closing remark, "It is to each their own", adds a generous, pluralistic note. She is not disparaging netball or hockey; instead she recognizes personal preference while highlighting that choice is constrained by the menu society presents. Preference and opportunity interlock: you can only love what you are allowed to try.
Nagra’s career gives the observation extra resonance. Bend It Like Beckham took that quiet norm and pushed against it through the story of a British Indian girl who wants to play football. The film exposed two layers of boundary-setting: the broader English habit of funneling girls away from football, and the cultural expectations within immigrant families about respectability and gender roles. Its success provided visibility at a time when women’s football still struggled for resources and legitimacy.
Historically, the residue of the Football Association’s mid-20th-century ban on women’s matches lingered for decades, shaping school curricula, facilities, and media attention. The result was a self-reinforcing loop: few opportunities, few participants, little coverage, and therefore little aspiration.
The landscape has shifted: professional leagues, national-team success, and higher participation rates have widened the sense of what girls can do. Yet Nagra’s observation remains instructive. Cultural change begins with recognition that conventions are not neutral; they are choices. Expanding the menu of options allows individual taste to flourish, making "to each their own" a reality rather than a polite caveat.
The closing remark, "It is to each their own", adds a generous, pluralistic note. She is not disparaging netball or hockey; instead she recognizes personal preference while highlighting that choice is constrained by the menu society presents. Preference and opportunity interlock: you can only love what you are allowed to try.
Nagra’s career gives the observation extra resonance. Bend It Like Beckham took that quiet norm and pushed against it through the story of a British Indian girl who wants to play football. The film exposed two layers of boundary-setting: the broader English habit of funneling girls away from football, and the cultural expectations within immigrant families about respectability and gender roles. Its success provided visibility at a time when women’s football still struggled for resources and legitimacy.
Historically, the residue of the Football Association’s mid-20th-century ban on women’s matches lingered for decades, shaping school curricula, facilities, and media attention. The result was a self-reinforcing loop: few opportunities, few participants, little coverage, and therefore little aspiration.
The landscape has shifted: professional leagues, national-team success, and higher participation rates have widened the sense of what girls can do. Yet Nagra’s observation remains instructive. Cultural change begins with recognition that conventions are not neutral; they are choices. Expanding the menu of options allows individual taste to flourish, making "to each their own" a reality rather than a polite caveat.
Quote Details
| Topic | Sports |
|---|
More Quotes by Parminder
Add to List
