No--just kidding. Don't burn anything. Fire is dangerous.But at least female badminton players can ditch their skirts if they would rather play in shorts (or pants I would assume). The Badminton World Federation has nixed its plans to require female athletes to wear skirts in competitions. There was … [Read more...]
Wishy, washy IOC ridiculousness
Has anyone written about the highly problematic tenure of IOC president Jacques Rogge? I want to fast forward to a few decades from now and read about his legacy. I can't imagine it will be favorable. The inspiration for these frustrations? The IOC, as lead by Rogge, is still trying to work it out … [Read more...]
Tennis Hall of Fame ducking the issue
In 1992 South African Bob Hewitt was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame. It's possible that I was even there that year to see it. (I'd have to ask my dad.) What very few knew then was that years later women from all over the globe would come forward with charges of sexual abuse against Hewitt, … [Read more...]
My existential crisis on a bike
The day was warm, the hills were long or steep--sometimes both. And as I sped down one such hill--a series actually of downhills--I thought "what's the point?" I had climbed and climbed and climbed all morning. And my reward was these downhills. But they didn't feel like a reward. What's the point … [Read more...]
Femininity and running
Several things conspired to lead to this post--the most recent being that two minutes ago a woman ran by the cafe I am sitting at grading papers wearing a running skirt--just as I was thinking about running skirts and the reasons women give for wearing. I was thinking about this because of this … [Read more...]
Women’s Hockey Worlds
Two weekends ago I headed north to Burlington, Vermont for a quick, last-minute getaway that happened to coincide with the IIHF Women's Hockey World Championships. (Timing is everything!) Here is what I observed: Nothing indicated as we drove into Burlington that this event was taking place. I did … [Read more...]
Qatar adds third woman to Olympic roster
Photo: Reuters Qatar, like Saudi Arabia, has never sent a female athletes to the Olympics. That will change this summer. Two women had been scheduled to go after receiving wild cards from the IOC. A third has just been added. Bahia al-Hamad, who also received a wild card, will participate in … [Read more...]
No Saudi female Olympians - now what will the IOC do?
It seems that after some consideration (or not) Saudi Arabian officials, despite some positive encouragement from the IOC, have decided not to send women--or even a woman--to the Olympic Games this summer in London. The king of gender equality himself--Jacques Rogge, IOC president--nicely asked for … [Read more...]
Brittney Griner and the media
Brittney Griner, MVP of the DI Women's Basketball Championships, said Baylor officials advised her not to read blogs--because they are mean. Not hard for me to imagine. She does read Twitter though, so she's aware of what think about her, her height, her voice, her abilities; how they perceive her … [Read more...]
Push coming to shove at Augusta National?
Shoving does not happen at Augusta National, of course. But the management does find itself in a tight spot these days. IBM--a sponsor of the Masters, and one of the few that returned after television sponsorship of the prestigious major was halted amid the no-woman controversy--just voted in a new … [Read more...]