Michael Sanders alerted me to a great blog post from a gym Mom:
I have run across a few people who are shocked that I enrolling my BOY in gymnastics. …
I view gymnastics as being very much a manly sport but other people? Notsomuch. …. Boys should be running around bases or catching footballs; not spending time in a gym learning the fundamentals of gymnastics. Never mind the fact that those fundamentals- strength, flexibility, and coordination are integral to every aspect of athetics.
… “What? Is the local karate studio full?” and “Wouldn’t he prefer soccer?”.
Gavin has already shown signs of mad gymnastics talent. He is super strong. … The kid can spin and spin and spin and never waver (again, a result of all his sensory stuff). … He can stand on his head, flip around a bar at the playground, hang forever and a day while swinging from a bar, do a somersault, and do splits. When we went to visit my nieces, they were performing all their gymnastics moves and the boy could totally do or at least try to do everything that they did and they have already had years of lessons. Plus, he wanted to do what they did.
Gymnastics: Not just for girls – by Officially a Mom.
A boy doing gymnastics in the 1970s, I can’t honestly say I got much criticism. Once I got good at it, I only recall getting respect from my peers.
In 2006 any stigma about boys doing gymnastics should be dismissed as ignorance.
Gymnastics is great for EVERYONE. But it’s long been my conclusion that the sport benefits 6-year-old boys most. That is the ideal target age and gender in my experience.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 