Clare Balding has been a regular fixture on the sports scene since the early ‘90s. She’s a former amateur jockey, and she’s one of the few out lesbians in British television. Her coverage of the 2012 Olympics drew rave reviews, and won her a prestigious contract as the face of Channel 4’s racing coverage as well as the Paralympics coverage starting next week over on the BBC.
But it hasn’t all been a feminist Balding lovefest in the British media.
In the aftermath of the Olympics, ending as it did with a whimper rather than a bang thanks to Friday’s disappointing closing ceremonies, the impact of the past two weeks is only just starting to sink in. It marked a number of firsts for women, including the first women from Saudi Arabia to participate in the Games, and the first female boxers to compete for an Olympic medal.
If you thought this year’s Olympics would be a sexism-free zone, you were forgetting about the notoriously chauvinistic Mayor of London, who likened the female volleyball players to “wet otters” when urging viewers to tune in to the Games. Boris Johnson’s mammalian predilections aside, we have to resist the temptation to gloss over the issues that still affect women athletes, while still celebrating their success.
Zoe Smith kicking ass in the Games.
After witnessing some of the ugliest effects of sports culture play out this past week, it's good to see that some douchebags are being held (somewhat) accountable for their actions. In Buffalo, Wyoming, Pat Lynch stepped down as Buffalo High School football coach after circulating a "Hurt Feelings Report" survey for his team before a playoff game. The survey asks you to check if you are "thin-skinned," "a pussy," "a queer," "have woman like hormones [sic]" among other options.
Don't pack up your jerseys yet folks! Don't you put that vuvuvuvuzazula on eBay! The next World Cup is just one year away! In fact, it'll be the twentieth anniversary of the first FIFA Women's World Cup.
A recent PR scuffle proved that ice-skating champ Johnny Weir is the bigger man when it comes to commentary...not that he gives a sh** what a man should or shouldn't be.
In response to two Quebecois commentators who spoke derogatorily of Weir and said he should take a gender test, Weir responded by issuing an awesome statement that touched on identity, free speech, life in the public eye, and the changing acceptance of gender, saying "I think masculinity and femininity is something that’s very old fashioned."Transcript after jump
If Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso's performances in the Women's Downhill weren't to make your feminist heart swell with Olympic pride (what are you, a robot?), Tanith Belbin might do the trick. In an interview with The New York Times' Juliet Macur earlier this week Belbin discussed the pressures that female athletes in her field, Ice Dancing, face to stay thin and how her Olympic chances have improved since she decided to listen to her body and stop worrying about how her thighs look those tiny little dancing get ups.
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