In Praise of Female Athletes In Praise of Female Athletes Who said NOWho said NO

For the fifteen female ski jumpers For the fifteen female ski jumpers petitioning to be included in the petitioning to be included in the

2010 Winter Olympics in 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.Vancouver.

Despite the glory of colour it’s easy Despite the glory of colour it’s easy to be the butterfly;to be the butterfly;It’s hard to be the dog or to remain It’s hard to be the dog or to remain like the river stone.like the river stone.For Christ sake little lady, sit down For Christ sake little lady, sit down you’ve been told.you’ve been told.

Because he thought that a Because he thought that a woman short of breath was woman short of breath was an affront to good manners,an affront to good manners,Baron Pierre de Coubertin Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the modern Olympics founded the modern Olympics with only the strength of men with only the strength of men in mind. The heft and depth of in mind. The heft and depth of sport surely could not be sport surely could not be good for the reproductive good for the reproductive organs of a lady—organs of a lady—

    In 1896, at the first In 1896, at the first modern Olympics, modern Olympics, Stamata Revithi Stamata Revithi watched the men’s watched the men’s marathon and the next day started out on her marathon and the next day started out on her

own forty-kilometre run. She could not enter the stadium to finish, own forty-kilometre run. She could not enter the stadium to finish, as the men had done the previous day, so with one lap around the as the men had done the previous day, so with one lap around the entire stadium she finished the run that was thought impossible for entire stadium she finished the run that was thought impossible for a woman to complete.a woman to complete.

The most unaesthetic sight the human eye could The most unaesthetic sight the human eye could contemplate, de Coubertin said, was women’s contemplate, de Coubertin said, was women’s sport. In 1922, Alice Milliat held a women’s sport. In 1922, Alice Milliat held a women’s Olympics in Paris where eighteen women broke Olympics in Paris where eighteen women broke world records in sport.world records in sport.De Coubertin demanded that Milliat drop the De Coubertin demanded that Milliat drop the Olympic moniker from her games.Olympic moniker from her games.She refused until he agreed to integrate ten She refused until he agreed to integrate ten women’s events into the Olympics.women’s events into the Olympics.

Milliat dropped the Olympic moniker from Milliat dropped the Olympic moniker from her games but Pierre de Coubertin only her games but Pierre de Coubertin only added five female track-and-field events to added five female track-and-field events to the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam.the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam.

For the 1928 games, the For the 1928 games, the Canadian women’s Olympic Canadian women’s Olympic team practiced for the Olympic team practiced for the Olympic relay by passing the baton on relay by passing the baton on the deck of the ship that sailed the deck of the ship that sailed them to Europe. At the same them to Europe. At the same time a contingent of Canadian time a contingent of Canadian men travelled to Amsterdam to men travelled to Amsterdam to petition the IOC to do the right petition the IOC to do the right thing and drop female sport thing and drop female sport from the Olympics. The media from the Olympics. The media called the Canadian women’s called the Canadian women’s team the Matchless Six for their team the Matchless Six for their athletic ability.athletic ability.

The New York TimesThe New York Times called one of called one of them, Ethel Catherwood, “the prettiest them, Ethel Catherwood, “the prettiest girl of the games.” She became known girl of the games.” She became known as the Saskatoon Lily, for her as the Saskatoon Lily, for her

“ “flower-like face.”flower-like face.”Surely, it was said, the Saskatoon Lily Surely, it was said, the Saskatoon Lily would become a movie star, but would become a movie star, but Catherwood was an athlete. She said Catherwood was an athlete. She said she would rather gulp poison than try she would rather gulp poison than try her hand at motion pictures. She won her hand at motion pictures. She won gold in the high jump and remains the gold in the high jump and remains the only Canadian woman to win a solo only Canadian woman to win a solo gold in track and field.gold in track and field.

That same year the That same year the women ran the 800 metre women ran the 800 metre race so hard that they race so hard that they crossed the finish line and crossed the finish line and fell to the ground to catch fell to the ground to catch their breath. their breath. The men of the IOC found The men of the IOC found this disquieting. The 800 this disquieting. The 800 meter women’s race was meter women’s race was not reinstated until 1968, in not reinstated until 1968, in Mexico, where Enriqueta Mexico, where Enriqueta Basilio became the first Basilio became the first woman to light the Olympic woman to light the Olympic cauldron.cauldron.

Eva Dawes was a Eva Dawes was a weak child and her weak child and her father thought father thought exercise would exercise would strengthen her. He strengthen her. He built her a high-built her a high-jumping pit at her jumping pit at her school. At a track school. At a track meet in 1926, she meet in 1926, she won two gold won two gold medals in the under-medals in the under-18 category. The 18 category. The officials then refused officials then refused to let her jump with to let her jump with the adults until her the adults until her father walked onto father walked onto the pitch, grabbed the pitch, grabbed the microphone and the microphone and pleaded with the pleaded with the crowd to intervene.crowd to intervene.The officials let The officials let Dawes jump again Dawes jump again and she won and she won another gold that another gold that day.day.

In 1935, she wanted to see life outside of Ontario In 1935, she wanted to see life outside of Ontario so she accepted an invitation to travel to the so she accepted an invitation to travel to the Soviet Union.Soviet Union.When she returned she was suspended from When she returned she was suspended from amateur sport for cavorting with communists. The amateur sport for cavorting with communists. The next year she boycotted the Nazi-hosted Olympic next year she boycotted the Nazi-hosted Olympic Games and sailed for Barcelona to compete in the Games and sailed for Barcelona to compete in the People’s Olympiad, championed by trade unions, People’s Olympiad, championed by trade unions, socialists and communists, then cancelled with the socialists and communists, then cancelled with the first shots of the Spanish Civil War.first shots of the Spanish Civil War.

The athlete Fanny Blankers-Koen gave birth to her The athlete Fanny Blankers-Koen gave birth to her second child, immediately started training, and six second child, immediately started training, and six weeks later competed in the 1946 European weeks later competed in the 1946 European Championships. By 1948 she was back in shape and Championships. By 1948 she was back in shape and held many world records, but still the media thought held many world records, but still the media thought she was too old to represent her country and that she she was too old to represent her country and that she should stay home to take care of her children. She won should stay home to take care of her children. She won four gold medals at the 1948 Olympicsfour gold medals at the 1948 OlympicsThey called her They called her The Flying HousewifeThe Flying Housewife..

In 1973, the former In 1973, the former Wimbledon singles champion Wimbledon singles champion Bobby Riggs claimed that Bobby Riggs claimed that women didn’t have the women didn’t have the strength to play tennis strength to play tennis properly and that he would properly and that he would beat any woman alive by beat any woman alive by virtue of his manhood.virtue of his manhood.He beat Margaret Court on He beat Margaret Court on Mother’s Day of that year.Mother’s Day of that year.

He said, “I want Billie Jean King. I want the He said, “I want Billie Jean King. I want the women’s lib leader!” He wore a “Men’s women’s lib leader!” He wore a “Men’s Liberation” T-shirt to practiseLiberation” T-shirt to practisefor his match with King and said that he wanted for his match with King and said that he wanted to be the number one chauvinist pig.to be the number one chauvinist pig.The tennis player Rosie Casals called Riggs The tennis player Rosie Casals called Riggs “an old man who walks like a duck, can’t see, “an old man who walks like a duck, can’t see, can’t hear and besides,” she said, “he’s an can’t hear and besides,” she said, “he’s an idiot.”idiot.”

A team of football players carried Billie Jean A team of football players carried Billie Jean King into the Astrodome while Bobby Riggs rode King into the Astrodome while Bobby Riggs rode in on a chariot pulled by women. Billie Jean King in on a chariot pulled by women. Billie Jean King beat him three straight sets in a rowbeat him three straight sets in a row

Listen: here they come Listen: here they come again, trying to screw again, trying to screw things up for the men. things up for the men. In 2005, the president In 2005, the president of the International Ski of the International Ski Federation, Gian Federation, Gian Franco Kasper, saidFranco Kasper, said““Ski jumping is just Ski jumping is just

too dangerous for too dangerous for women. It’s not women. It’s not appropriate for ladiesappropriate for ladiesfrom a medical point from a medical point of view.”of view.”

The chivalry playbook? For the The chivalry playbook? For the Continental Cup in Germany, Continental Cup in Germany, the men’s ski jumping team the men’s ski jumping team slept in a hotel while the slept in a hotel while the women were billeted in a women were billeted in a farmhouse and barn, with a pile farmhouse and barn, with a pile of manure outside their of manure outside their window, and awoke to a farm window, and awoke to a farm cat eating their food. Or they cat eating their food. Or they slept in a post office in St. slept in a post office in St. Moritz, and under a dining Moritz, and under a dining room table in Trondheimroom table in Trondheim

At the top of the cantilevered tower you envision At the top of the cantilevered tower you envision yourself in flight and prepare your body to react yourself in flight and prepare your body to react without thought. You tighten the straps of your without thought. You tighten the straps of your helmet, position your goggles, slide onto the helmet, position your goggles, slide onto the starting bar to watch the wind work the flags with starting bar to watch the wind work the flags with the possibility of flight as you slide your feet ahead the possibility of flight as you slide your feet ahead in the track, fold downand zip into the inrun—you in the track, fold downand zip into the inrun—you feel the compression of the curve. You are over feel the compression of the curve. You are over the knoll.the knoll.

If you bend your knees you lose control.If you bend your knees you lose control.You master the airfoil and steer with the You master the airfoil and steer with the slightest movement of your hands.slightest movement of your hands.You look straight ahead and command You look straight ahead and command every turn and nuance of posture. You are every turn and nuance of posture. You are flying. There is no other explanation.flying. There is no other explanation.Your body is muscle and memory held up by Your body is muscle and memory held up by the wind.the wind.

RecapRecap

You have just proven through your You have just proven through your assignment that woman CAN do wonderful assignment that woman CAN do wonderful things.things.

Remember that things are not always as Remember that things are not always as they seem. If it is too good to be true it they seem. If it is too good to be true it probably is.probably is.

Remember that you have the power through Remember that you have the power through Knowledge.Knowledge.

You can decide to do something about a You can decide to do something about a problem; to be bullied or to stand up for problem; to be bullied or to stand up for yourself. Don’t wait until it gets too late!yourself. Don’t wait until it gets too late!

Finally remember we all have talents and Finally remember we all have talents and self worth. We are happy that you are self worth. We are happy that you are among us!among us!