Strongwomen The Fight for Feminist Fitness What do this Strongman champion, an
has competed in numerous Strongman
misogyny, and debasing behavior expe-
opera singer turned world-class boxer,
national and world championships.
rienced by women boxers. As a mentor
and the founder of the nation’s first queer
Kromer considers herself lucky to
once told her: “Once you turn pro as a
gym all have in common? They’re all
have discovered a powerful community
woman, it’s a steep climb. There’s not a
badass Mills alumnae who are, in incre-
at Strongman: “There isn’t the negativ-
lot of competition, and they’re good.” By
mental and momentous ways, charting
ity you might encounter in other parts
contrast, male boxers are able to match
new ground in the landscape of profes-
of powerlifting. The vibe is like, ‘You’re
in more fights, allowing significantly
sional fitness. They don’t fit a stereotype,
weird like me, let’s go do this.’” In the
more opportunities to practice and pad
and are instead bringing their full selves
last decade, Kromer has been thrilled
their resumes. “Women aren’t supposed
to their practices and redefining success
to see increased representation and par-
to be 40-year-old boxing heavyweights,”
in their own terms.
ticipation of women in professional lift-
says Hafner, now 43. “After winning my
ing, particularly due to the popularity
pro debut, I realized that maybe I could
When Lisa Pollari Kromer ’98
of CrossFit. However, Kromer laments
make a difference by showing people
(pictured at right, in competition on
the limited coverage of female heavylift-
what women can do.”
January 23) transferred to Mills from
ers who don’t fit conventional notions
However, long before Hafner entered
College of Alameda, she was seeking a
of beauty, and she wishes that amaz-
the boxing ring, she fell in love with
safe refuge from an unhealthy relation-
ing feats such as the World’s Strongest
music. “Mills College shot me like a can-
ship. Her sociology classes illuminated
Woman competition received the cover-
non into my dream of being an opera
structural systems of gender and power,
age they deserved.
singer,” she says. “It blew my mind. I had
helping her reconnect with her innate
In 2016, Kromer won the US Strongman
a to-do list of traveling the world and
worth. Meanwhile, Kromer discovered
Middleweight 148 class title, the highest
studying opera in Italy, and I got to do it
exercise as a powerful outlet. She fell
honor in the country for her weight class.
all. Nobody put a cap on me.” Hafner was
in love with the abundance of dance
In 2019, she competed in Russia for an
especially inspired by the camaraderie
classes, worked as a head lifeguard, and
arm-lifting competition and became one
among her peers at Mills, who taught her
learned basic lifting. “At Mills, I learned
of only two women in the United States to
it was OK to be herself, even if she still
how to take care of myself and how to
qualify as both a pro Strongwoman and
harbored insecurities.
value myself,” she says. “The sports com-
pro armlifter. Kromer, whose day job is
After graduating, she traveled across
plex was my lifeline.”
in supply-chain management, now lives
Europe as an opera singer and intro-
After graduating, Kromer moved home
in Kennewick, Washington, with her hus-
duced Black American opera to new
to Washington state and began working
band and two sons—and both of them love
audiences. She moved to Montréal and
with a trainer at her local gym. The trainer
sports and training with their parents.
staked out a place in the Canadian opera scene, pursuing a master’s degree
introduced her to the riveting world of power lifting and Strongman, a competi-
“The hardest part about boxing
in music at the University of Ottawa.
tion that tests its participants’ strength
isn’t boxing; it’s everything outside the
Hafner founded an opera company and
in non-traditional ways, such as carrying
ring,” says Claire Hafner ‘99, Universal
discovered a passion for directing operas
refrigerators, pulling vehicles, and hauling
National
(UNBC)
with a contemporary twist—for instance,
stones. Her trainer became her husband,
Women’s
Champion,
infusing a production of Julius Caesar
and over the last 20 years, the couple
referring to the economic inequities,
with a Game of Thrones thrill ride. In a
18
M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY
Boxing
Council
Heavyweight
CHERRY TREE IM AGERY
By Arya Samuelson, MFA ’19
