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MLB bans hazing rookies by dressing them as women or female characters

World Series - Cleveland Indians v Chicago Cubs - Game Four

CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 29: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred attends a ceremony naming the 2016 winners of the Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year Award and the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award before Game Four of the 2016 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians at Wrigley Field on October 29, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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The Associated Press reported this evening that Major League Baseball has outlawed “offensive” hazing. Specifically, teams are no longer allowed to dress rookies as women or female characters in those end-of-year hazing rituals that pop up on social media each September.

Good. We’ve been criticizing this practice for some time around these parts. Hazing is, by definition, an act of humiliation. Which, fine, if players want to haze rookies, let them. But the notion that dressing them as women or feminine characters is inherently humiliating is itself inherently degrading to women. And besides, it’s dumb. I mean, how bad a hazer are you if you can’t do better than “hahaha, you’re a girl!”

So bully for MLB for outlawing this juvenile and retrograde practice.

Now, if the league would only extend its ban on “offensive” apparel to the uniforms currently worn by the reigning American League champions . . .

Follow @craigcalcaterra