Annabel Kennedy, Year 3, Narrabri Public School student council representative, Oztag player and gymnast would like to know:
Who is stronger?
Boys or girls?
Hi Annabel, in honour of International Women’s Day, let’s tackle this question!
And yes, just like boys do in rugby, girls can tackle too.
First, let’s reframe the question a little to answer if people of any gender can show off the same level of strength.
It’s a hot topic that gets people talking, especially when we’ve got those age-old stereotypes about who’s supposed to be physically stronger.
Sure, there are some biological differences between guys and gals—like muscle mass and hormone levels—that might give one group a bit of a head start.
But those differences don’t mean one gender is automatically stronger than the other.
It’s more about how you train, your natural abilities, and how much effort you put in.
Researchers have been digging into this stuff, looking at everything from muscle thickness to body fat percentages.
And you know what they’ve found? While men might have some advantages in certain areas, like bench pressing or upper-body power, when you level the playing field—like adjusting for lean body mass—things start to even out.
That means women can hold their own in exercises like squatting and jumping, too.
Take body fat, for example. On average, men tend to have less of it than women.
And yeah, that might give them a bit of an edge in strength and power tests.
But here’s where it gets interesting: when researchers loaded up guys with weights to match the body fat percentages of women, suddenly, the performance gaps closed up a lot.
It goes to show that while body composition can play a role, it doesn’t define your strength potential.
At the end of the day, physical strength isn’t just about brute force. It’s about technique, coordination, and mental toughness, too.
And guess what? Mental toughness is something that isn’t tied to your gender.
And that comes from your brain, which is a pretty big muscle.
Things like, smartness, bravery, resilience, pain threshold and positivity can all make a person strong, and are remarkable qualities that can even outshine physical strength.
And just think about all the ways women must be strong in order to give birth.
Anyone can work on their mental and physical skills and build up their strength, regardless of gender identity.
So, can individuals of any gender flex the same muscles and show off the same strength? You bet.
Strength isn’t about fitting into some mould—it’s about pushing your limits, defying expectations, and showing the world what you’re made of.
So go ahead, break those stereotypes, and let your strength shine, no matter who you are.
Girl power!!
Ask Dr Bec: What makes the Mount Kaputar pink slugs pink? – The Courier (narrabricourier.com.au)
Narrabri-based scientist Dr Bec Thistlethwaite will contribute a fortnightly column to The Courier on the science in our daily lives. Readers are invited to send their science questions in to Dr Bec via [email protected]
