Today, when you google "women's olympic hockey beer," there are a thousand stories about the Canadian women's hockey team who transported their gold medal victory celebration from the locker room to the ice, after the rink was supposedly closed to the public. Thanks to all the media attention from some lingering photographers who took photos of the beer and cigar-adorned skaters, the International Olympic Committee now has their panties in a bunch, feeling pressure to issue a statement that the IOC will look into the matter, thus casting a shadow upon a glorious occasion for the female team members, who would otherwise be standing in the sunshine with their male counterparts.
But don't close that google window yet. Now omit the "wo" and submit "men's olympic hockey beer" and you will see the top story is about our own President Obama, who sent a case of Molson beer to the Prime Minister of Canada, following through on their bet over the men's Olympic gold medal match in which the Canadian men's hockey team prevailed. I don't have to explain the irony.*And don't tell me that the reason for all the hubbub is because the Canuck women had an underage (by one month) drinker on the ice because those pictures would have still surfaced if Poulin was of the legal drinking age in Canada, and it would have still been called to the IOC's attention. Poulin is just a scapegoat for the real issue of what is troublesome to all the old fashioned, small-minded critics out there. They think it's bad enough that women are finally allowed to play hockey in the Olympics, and that the sport has elevated to a higher level and some of the women could even give the men a run for their money, but now... the women can smoke and drink like men too?!
So tell me why, in the land where hockey was born and raised, where beer and hockey go together like Canadian and bacon, why can men smoke and drink after winning a gold medal and they are cheered by their highest head of government, but when women smoke and drink after winning a gold medal, they are dubbed as "not classy."
It ain't right, I'm telling you.
* Thanks Devilham
12 players in the box:
What a bunch of crap. Women hockey players get shit for not conforming to someone else's idea of what women should act like, and that Weir guy gets shit for being one feather boa over what someone else's idea of what a man should act like. Double standards are alive and well.
Great post Kristi! It was an asinine thing to complain about, the IOC and all involved should be ashamed.
I was hoping you would comment on this ridiculousness.
Canada gets a lot of stuff right, like health care and women's reproductive choice, but they're not some utopian kingdom where women are magically fully equal to men. Take a look at the Olympic closing ceremony and those giant mounties and hockey players they brought out to symbolize Canada. Every single one of them was male as far as I could tell. In fact, if you're not counting the giant beaver balloons, (and you better not be) the only female symbols in that portion of the show were the women in the middle of the maple leaves hanging from the rafters. Canada is pretty into its macho image, and where female hockey players fit into that picture still remains to be seen.
Kirby: Yeah, what with all the judge's cheating scandals and the illegal use of steroids, by all means, let's focus on women drinking beer.
Skydad: Asinine. That's a perfect word. I wish I had used it.
VikTik: Yep, in Canada, the gold medal male hockey players are pure heroes and gold medal male figure skaters are just respected. I'm not sure how much of that has to do with hockey being the national past time versus their macho image being in tact, but it's some of both for sure.
Holy Double Standard, Batman!
18 year olds drinking! I'm shocked, SHOCKED I tell you-- that never happened when I was 18...
It's bullshit. That's what I say.
Here's the solution. After one month, or after the NHL season is over, the men's Canada team should invite the women's Canada team to have a party on the ice with beer and cigar's present.
It doen't even have to happen, just announce that it is planned.
Thanks for that hat tip GETKristiLOVE! I knew you would have something to say about this...it's an absolute shame. And vikkitikkitavi, I laughed out loud about your giant beaver comment "if you're not counting the giant beaver balloons, (and you better not be)", that was brilliant.
I had to go watch the closing ceremonies on tape after that so I would know what Vikki was talking about. Very funny. It was amplified in ridiculousness when Bob Costas said, "...what everyone has been waiting for - huge, inflatable beavers!"
This is only one example of the many double standards that exist in society regarding women. **sigh** :o(
Do not get me started on some of the double standards and glass ceilings for women in hockey! As a player you may not see them as much but I can't tell you how many times I have been standing in a tunnel wearing a press pass, two large cameras and have been asked "which players mother are you?". "No, I'm a member of the press." My partner is addressed by his name and I'm "sweetie", when I objected to issues like this politely I was told I was "pushy" .
It has been a long season working harder, faster and getting frankly a better quality of work out than my male counterparts. We have come a long way, but in the icy trenches there is such a long way to go!
Post a Comment