I don’t need a guide, thanks
Autumn’s Getting upset. /Image: blogs.thescore.com
CUP article demeans female hockey fans
Article: Autumn McDowell – Sports Editor
I chose to write my column this week in response to an article, which appeared on the Canadian University Press, which claims to be “A woman’s guide to surviving hockey season.”
I believe that this article is very demeaning to female hockey fans and portrays all women as mindless humans which are set to cater to their partners needs – albeit heterosexual partners.
While I understand that this is just one person’s opinion, and that there is mention that some women may be as intense or rather “as crazy” about hockey as their counterparts, it still makes my blood boil.
This article blatantly states that the writer has come up with tips and tricks “If you’re part of this sisterhood of women attached to men” who like hockey. Immediately, this article is heteronormative and assumes that women are not only mindless beings “attached” to people – as if women are unable to get away and think for themselves – but they are only going to be with men. Homosexuality is not an option, apparently because either no women are homosexual, or no women like hockey.
After revealing its heteronormativity, this article then proceeds with saying that if a woman actually decides to go to “take their support for their partners team to a next level and actually go to a game. Power to you.”
According to this, women are not only abnormal for liking hockey, they also deserve kudos for taking an interest in what their partner enjoys – because no relationship is about compromise.
It is people like this who make my life extremely hard. Since this article was written by a female, and was then selected by another female to receive national coverage, I would expect them to be supportive of women who like hockey, and saying “more power to them”, rather than giving more power to those who graciously go to the game, not because they want to, but because they are attached to their male partner. If I can’t even count on my fellow females to support me, then I am not quite sure who I can count on.
[pullquote]“Since judging by this article, women are too dumb to know about the playoffs and to stubborn to enjoy the greasiest food at the game.” [/pullquote]
I believe that articles should be written in support of women who are trying to make their own place in a gentleman’s club, and showcase female talent on the court, field or ice rather than promoting a guide designed especially for women. Since judging by this article, women are too dumb to know about the playoffs and too stubborn to enjoy the greasiest food at the game.
After all, at the sight of a delicious poutine, women shouldn’t “cave in unless you are looking to stock up on empty calories while your partner guzzles beer”. Women also inherently do not enjoy tipping back a tall one at the game apparently and shouldn’t take in unnecessary calories that may ruin their physique. Speak for yourself.
Instead of supporting female hockey fans who try find their own place in this male-dominated society and work hard to fit in amongst the crowd at the rink, this article gives people more of a reason to not trust a female’s opinion and not be taken seriously. After all, women need to have a guide written in order to be able to survive a sport.
Although this guide is demeaning to any woman who dreams of having a career in sports journalism, or who simply enjoys hockey for that matter, it is now getting national recognition on the Canadian University Press website and is considered a top example of student sports journalism because of this.
[…] Click here for the original article from The Carillon […]