Tag: women’s hockey
Four American Women of Color Navigating Hockey’s Whiteness
This year marks the 45th anniversary of Title IX, the landmark legislation that has significantly improved the ability of girls and women to participate in sports. Their participation in college athletics has grown seven-fold in the past 45 years, according to a recently released excerpt from Title IX at 45, which was published by the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education (1).
However, when looking at the impact of Title IX over the years, Dr. Moneque Walker Pickett, et al. noticed a startling trend (2). With the exception of basketball and track & field, women of color are underrepresented in college sports, despite the aforementioned overall growth. Girls and women are playing ice hockey in record numbers, but women of color are still an anomaly. As a companion to a media roundtable on racism in hockey, The Victory Press spoke to Meghan Huertas, Kaliya Johnson, Kelsey Koelzer, and Blake Bolden about playing a sport that lacks diversity.
Women’s Hockey Must Exploit Changing Broadcasting Landscape
The coverage of women’s sports is being revolutionized right before our eyes, and these women’s leagues are on the cutting edge of technology. While the men dominate network TV coverage, women have been forced to find alternate ways to put eyes on their sport, and it couldn’t have come at a more advantageous time.
Help Support The Victory Press
The Victory Press is an independent publication dedicated to women’s sports and intersectional feminist issues related to sport. Any amount of support goes directly towards paying the writers and editorial staff for their work and reimbursing expenses.
They publish features and essays related to feminism/gender/social issues as they pertain to sports, with the goal of making the Victory Press an inclusive home for quality writing on these issues. They also provide coverage of professional, international, and collegiate women’s ice hockey. Some excellent examples of the writing on the Victory Press are:
Pain and Consumption: What Society Really Wants From an Out, Gay Athlete
Waiting Doesn’t Work: Transphobia in Sports
Angela James, Heteronormativity, and Representation
Rethinking Masculinity: On the Media Coverage of Harrison Browne
Galchenyuk, Kane, and the Dichotomy of Victim-Blaming in the NHL
NWHL’s Transgender Policy Focuses on Hormones, Not Inclusion
Role Models, Setting an Example, and Pro Women’s Hockey Players
Growing the Game, Parity, and Catchphrases in Women’s College Hockey
…and there are many more, these are just a few. The Victory Press also does day to day coverage of women’s hockey at all levels and aims to branch out to all women’s sports.
Since The Victory Press is 100% independent, they rely on donations and crowdfunding to pay their writers and editors. Please consider becoming a Victory Press Patron and/or donate to them via Paypal. They depend on the public for support.
© Dave Holland/CWHL
Things People Say About Women’s Hockey vs. What They Really Mean
What they say: It’s boring.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: Women’s hockey players just aren’t as skilled.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: There’s no money in it.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: It’s just not as interesting or exciting as men’s hockey.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: There’s not hitting so it’s not real hockey.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: It’s not as fast as men’s hockey.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: Women aren’t as strong as men, that’s just biology.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: There’s no body checking so it’s boring.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: Women’s hockey players aren’t as skilled as male players.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: I just don’t care about the women’s game.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: No one even watches it.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: It’s not fun.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: Women belong in the kitchen.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: If they were any good they’d be as popular as the NHL.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: Even women don’t care about it.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: It’s boring because only Canada and USA have good teams.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: Ten year old boys could beat a women’s team.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: The players aren’t attractive with all that padding.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: Women’s hockey is a boutique sport.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: It’s not on TV so it’s too hard to watch.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: The men are better anyway so why watch women’s hockey?
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: Women are just biologically not meant to play sports.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: They all leave the sport to have babies.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: If the players were any good, they would make it in the NHL
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: It’s not developed enough.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: Women are too small to play hockey.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: I don’t know any of the players so it isn’t interesting.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: Their hair is distracting.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: There’s no fighting; that’s so boring.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: No one likes women’s sports.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: Women can’t shoot hard enough.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
What they say: It’s a man’s game.
What they really mean: I’m sexist.
Ice Hockey Goaltender
Noora Räty – Photos by Pete Aarre-Ahtio
Source: Article in Finnish about athletes and their bodies, this one focusing on Noora Räty
I personally knew I was gay before the age of 12. I thought I was weird. I thought it was just me. If I had had a teammate do what Emily did, [organizing a You Can Play fundraiser] it would have changed my whole life for the better between the ages of 12 and 18.
To know you are not alone, that you have support, and that who you are is exactly who you should be is half of the battle. It’s not always easy to be out and be who you truly are, but it makes it a whole lot easier when one of your peers says to everyone that they will not stand for homophobia.
Erica Kromm from You Can Play Event Embodies Spirit of Teamwork for Calgary Inferno (via yolowoho)
Just imagine how good women hockey players could be if they were given the same opportunities as the men. Like the year round training, access to high end facilities, dietitians and personal trainers. Being able to practice more than twice a week at 10pm. Having all of the things that the NHL players take for granted.
Imagine if they didn’t have to have full time day jobs. If they could devote as much of their lives and time to the sport they love.
They’re so good now, imagine how good they could get if given the chance.
Steel Phoenix Studios 