Girls will be girls?
I'm an Olympics junkie, especially the adrenaline sports like downhill racing, snowboarding, sledding and speed skating. I can't say I have ever been much of a hockey fan, but after the criticism the Canadian women have received, I am on their side. What did they do? They celebrated the crowning achievement, the pinnacle of their career, a win over their arch rival in the contest that matters the most. They won Olympic gold and they celebrated like. . .like. . .OMG, like HOCKEY players.
They broke out the cigars, the beer and the champagne and cavorted on the ice in their uniforms with their medals in front of their fans.
That's bad? It's HOCKEY!
What did people expect when they made hockey an Olympic sport? This is not the sport of gentlemen aristocrats anymore. This is a sport that Canadians take seriously, that fans watch religiously, and that brings out the highest level of competition in its participants. These women worked hard and sacrificed much to achieve this goal. They earned their celebration.
I think the furor arose because these are women and women aren't suppose to behave this way. This is exactly what opponents of Title IX feared. Women acting competitively. It was fine for women to compete in sports such as figure skating in which competitors wear abbreviated, sequined outfits and perform graceful movements to music. Team competition was something else. I don't mean to belittle figure skaters. The athletes are as dedicated and hard-working as hockey players. The athleticism required for figure skating is extraordinary. In fact, I think figure skaters should be allowed to celebrate raucously, though I don't think we will see any. Figure skating competition is more artistic and the celebrations are more subdued.
Back to HOCKEY. What did people think they would see when women put on pads and took up sticks in a fast-moving, violent game? This is HOCKEY!
Congratulations CANADA!
Oh, and those guys aren't women. Those are the Hanson brothers from Slapshot. I think the IOC ought to chill out and watch that movie.
2 comments :
I don't think it was because they were/are women.
The bigger issue from what I have read and seen is the fact that they were doing all of this out on the ice and therefore were seen by the public. The Olympics have this image thing to uphold and protect and the way they behaved was not in line with the Olympic image.
I didn't see the game and, thus, didn't see the celebration, but I did hear a bit of the uproar about it. I thought perhaps it was because it involved drinking and smoking and a lot of kids watch the Olympics. If it was primarily because it was women doing the celebrating - pshaw or phooey on the complainers. If I won a medal, I don't know what I'd do, but it wouldn't be a polite smile and wave.
Helen
Straight From Hel
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