I blogged just recently about women's hockey, and sports - as I grew up in a very sports oriented household, I have known no life other than sports, rough housing, and no emotion. As I mentioned previously, it didn't occur to me that some people grew up without sports as a cornerstone of their youth, until I was exposed to friends outside of sports (from school, work, etc). This to me is still a strange strange thing, but I can accept it. It simply makes it hard to be friends with other women when I only cry about sports movies - and certainly not about movies like the notebook (ugh).
Needless to say, my house was a very excited household on Sunday night, when the Canadian Men's hockey team was primed to beat the US (I only confidently say that after knowing the results of the game - I will admit). Following the women's win, which was not a surprise, the men had a lot to live up to.
This leads me to the reason for this blog entry.
The unfortunate thing about the canadian women's win, was the aftermath. Instead of a strong fist pump (yes - I truly make this motion when excited) for women's sports, and a nod to the hard work and determination that these women have worked their whole lives for, they were criticized immediately afterwards for their celebration tactics.
As the sister of two strong, amazing women who play hockey, I understand the depth of passion and courage that is required to play women's hockey. There is not simply the dedication that is required to play a sport full time - which I am fully aware of from my many sports - but there is also the acknowledgment that there are stereotypes that weave the hockey circuit, that women will never step away from. There are comments, accusations, and looks from peers; there is a lack of respect from scheduling committees, refs, and sometimes even parents (those who do not take it seriously); there are other women, who (in my opinion) can push the woman's movement back decades by one simply glance/comment in putting another woman down. All because hockey is a 'mans sport' (not my opinion). The big pads, the smelly dressing rooms, the muscle refinement required to play the game - all of these have been hovering miles away from the stereotypical woman realm for a long long time. What a shame, to hold at an arms length, the potential for great things from women.
It just means that those who play have to fight that much MUCH harder. And, I offer, those who play have to love it that much more.
So why do I think the women's hockey team deserved the celebration they held? Because as kids they received at least half the ice time as their male counterparts. They got half the support from their teachers to miss school for tournaments. They were a third less likely to find skates, pads, helmets, etc. in their size. They were mocked three, four, five times as much by their peers for playing a sport that was not considered dainty. I know this, because I watched my two sisters live it on a day-by-day basis.
Canadians stood up to defend the women - for the most part - citing Jon Montgomery's celebration, and the press' infringment on a private party. But that can't take away from the fact that the Canadian Hockey Association felt it necessary to apologize for the actions of the women's team.
From The Winnipeg Free Press: "It's really unfortunate," said captain Hayley Wickenheiser, who was not part of the on-ice celebration. "We just won an Olympic gold medal in our country and today we're having to defend how we celebrated our Olympic gold medal. Nobody got hurt. It was not done in bad taste. It is tough, but at the same time, it'll be fine." The players have trained together since August and played 55 games together heading into the Olympics. They were simply blowing off steam, she explained. "We have been through so much that people do not see," Wickenheiser said. "There's few media people that would know just what our year has been like and the amount of effort that has gone into this program. We had a victory. We deserved to win and I think we handled ourselves fine."
And what did Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson think of the situation - and more specifically the 18 year old caught 'drinking on tape' (shocking - I know): "She's legal in the province where she comes from, but she feels terrible," Nicholson said. "My message to her? 'You'd feel a lot worse if you didn't score the two goals."'
Beautiful.
I will finish by saying that my house's celebration (with four women and one man - plus friends), included my sisters and I begging our dad for some cigars, and a beer. Not just for the photo oppourtunity to mock every international critic out there (and for our yearly Christmas card picture), but for pure enjoyment. We celebrate the same way as men and women around the world do - the way we want to.
Shame on the critics who pointed a finger at the women's hockey team enjoying their moment of glory. If Sid the Kid lit up with Iginla on the ice, there would have been no question as to the appropriateness of the action. And it's not just because I'm a feminist :)
Congrats women - enjoy the photo memories, because I think they're awesome.
Needless to say, my house was a very excited household on Sunday night, when the Canadian Men's hockey team was primed to beat the US (I only confidently say that after knowing the results of the game - I will admit). Following the women's win, which was not a surprise, the men had a lot to live up to.
This leads me to the reason for this blog entry.
The unfortunate thing about the canadian women's win, was the aftermath. Instead of a strong fist pump (yes - I truly make this motion when excited) for women's sports, and a nod to the hard work and determination that these women have worked their whole lives for, they were criticized immediately afterwards for their celebration tactics.
As the sister of two strong, amazing women who play hockey, I understand the depth of passion and courage that is required to play women's hockey. There is not simply the dedication that is required to play a sport full time - which I am fully aware of from my many sports - but there is also the acknowledgment that there are stereotypes that weave the hockey circuit, that women will never step away from. There are comments, accusations, and looks from peers; there is a lack of respect from scheduling committees, refs, and sometimes even parents (those who do not take it seriously); there are other women, who (in my opinion) can push the woman's movement back decades by one simply glance/comment in putting another woman down. All because hockey is a 'mans sport' (not my opinion). The big pads, the smelly dressing rooms, the muscle refinement required to play the game - all of these have been hovering miles away from the stereotypical woman realm for a long long time. What a shame, to hold at an arms length, the potential for great things from women.
It just means that those who play have to fight that much MUCH harder. And, I offer, those who play have to love it that much more.
So why do I think the women's hockey team deserved the celebration they held? Because as kids they received at least half the ice time as their male counterparts. They got half the support from their teachers to miss school for tournaments. They were a third less likely to find skates, pads, helmets, etc. in their size. They were mocked three, four, five times as much by their peers for playing a sport that was not considered dainty. I know this, because I watched my two sisters live it on a day-by-day basis.
Canadians stood up to defend the women - for the most part - citing Jon Montgomery's celebration, and the press' infringment on a private party. But that can't take away from the fact that the Canadian Hockey Association felt it necessary to apologize for the actions of the women's team.
From The Winnipeg Free Press: "It's really unfortunate," said captain Hayley Wickenheiser, who was not part of the on-ice celebration. "We just won an Olympic gold medal in our country and today we're having to defend how we celebrated our Olympic gold medal. Nobody got hurt. It was not done in bad taste. It is tough, but at the same time, it'll be fine." The players have trained together since August and played 55 games together heading into the Olympics. They were simply blowing off steam, she explained. "We have been through so much that people do not see," Wickenheiser said. "There's few media people that would know just what our year has been like and the amount of effort that has gone into this program. We had a victory. We deserved to win and I think we handled ourselves fine."
And what did Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson think of the situation - and more specifically the 18 year old caught 'drinking on tape' (shocking - I know): "She's legal in the province where she comes from, but she feels terrible," Nicholson said. "My message to her? 'You'd feel a lot worse if you didn't score the two goals."'
Beautiful.
I will finish by saying that my house's celebration (with four women and one man - plus friends), included my sisters and I begging our dad for some cigars, and a beer. Not just for the photo oppourtunity to mock every international critic out there (and for our yearly Christmas card picture), but for pure enjoyment. We celebrate the same way as men and women around the world do - the way we want to.
Shame on the critics who pointed a finger at the women's hockey team enjoying their moment of glory. If Sid the Kid lit up with Iginla on the ice, there would have been no question as to the appropriateness of the action. And it's not just because I'm a feminist :)
Congrats women - enjoy the photo memories, because I think they're awesome.
