We’reNotGirlsAnymore

StudentBodyPresident’sOfficeCelebratesWomenAlumniinSports

With March being Women’s History Month,the StudentBody President’sOffice(SBPO) decidedto hostan eventon March3rd tocelebrate womenin sports. Justice Michaud, Vice President of the SBPO,saysthat shegotthe inspirationfor theeventfromher mother Anais Aguirre,a USMalumnus whoplayed onthe softball teamduringhertime here.

Energeticpop musiccould beheard from thelobby ofCostello, drawingthe attentionof manystudents asthey stoppedto watchthe fun.The eventstarted at4 p.m. inthe CostelloGym withmembers ofthe Student Government Association (SGA) participating in different activities, like cornhole,spike ball,and basketball.Michaudexpressedthat shewantedthe event tobe somethingfun andeasy thateveryone couldenjoy,witha “peprallystyle.”

AllSGA membersdidanamazingjob at makingthe eventa welcomingand positiveexperience foreveryone andtaking the timeto makesure everyonefelt included. Inclusionwas amajor themeat theevent, especiallyduringtheMeet andGreetpanel with five women,including Aguirre,who participatedin sportsduring theircollege careers.Food wasprovided foreveryone asthe participantsin thepanel discussion hadarelaxed conversationabouttheir experiencegrowing upwith sports. Title IX wasfrequently broughtup duringthe discussion,asmany womenonthe panelhad motherswhogrewup inanerabefore Title IX.

It’s important to mention that not all womenon thepanel choseto playon a sportsteam duringcollege. Forexample, Dr.Emily Newell,an AssistantProfessor ofSportManagement hereatUSM, originallygot herB.A. injournalism atButlerUniversity, whereshe coveredsports eventsand eventuallybecame theSports EditorandManaging Editorather school’s newspaper She had an intense passion forsports, butdue tofamilial pressures andstereotypes aroundwomen andgirls insports, shefound herway inthrough journalism.Dr Newelleventually gother Ph.D.in Kinesiologyand SportManagementfrom OhioState University,becomingawonderful representationofdifferent pathsavailable towomen witha passion forsports.

Most discussion questions during the panel were focused on what influenced thewomen toparticipate insports, what itwas likegrowing upwith TitleIX, and importantmomentsduring theirsportsca- reersthat theywon’t forget.The groupalso discusseddiscrimination,and howthey’ve beenaffectedbyit. Dr.HeidiParker, AssociateProfessor ofSport Managementand Directorofthe CenterforCollaboration & Developmentat USM,told astory about herstudents, inwhich sherecalled being told,“Wow,Ididn’t realizeagirlprofessor couldteachmeabout sports.”

AsDr Parkerdiscussed howthat interactionimpacted her,she alsoshifted attentiontowardsthe terminologyweuse to talkabout women’ssports. ToDr Parker, itwasvery importanttomake suregrown womenwerebeingtreated assuch,making aneffortto callit“Women’s” sports,rather than“Girls’.”She feltaddressingadults as “girls”showeda lackofrespect, andreinforcedthe imageof ayoung, thin,pretty girl,whenwe needtomore accuratelydescribewhowe’re talkingabout.She called forwomen tobe moreproud ofthemselves, andnot toallow mento infantilizethem anylonger.

Thisturned thefocus ofthe discussion tothe differencesin dresscodes inmen’s andwomen’s sportsand thesexualization ofwomenathletes. Dr.Newellbrought up examplesofbikinis andspandexshorts as thedresscodefor women’svolleyball,and howathletes areprotesting againstit. All thewomen onthe panelseemed toagree thatthere isa largeamount ofsexualization inwomen’ssports, ratherthanappropriate recognitionoftheir talentasathletes. One ofthe excusesgiven thatwas discussed wasthat thetight shortsprovided aerodynamicadvantages comparedto baggier shorts.“Ifitwere thatbigofan advantage, menwouldwear them,”oneof thewomen onthepanel said,whichwas metwithloud agreementfrom therest ofthe groupso quicklythat itwas hardto pindown who originallymadethecomment.

Asthe eventcame toa close,anyone whowishedto participateingamesof volleyballand kickballwere encouragedto stay.Leavingthe event,themission statementfor theevent cameto mind:“SBPO wishesto educateour communityabout the problemof genderdisparity inathletics. By having open dialogues, hosting a Women in Sportsforum, andhosting athleticevents, weseektoraise awarenessofthelives and careersof theseathletes.” The Women’s HistoryMonth Olympicssuccessfully did justthat,providing asafeenvironment for womentospeak upabouttheir experiences whilesharingtheir loveforsports withthis generation of college students, whether theyare athletesor not.It wasclear that noteveryone wasthere forthe sports,but everyone was genuinely invested in the storiesof womenwho pushedthemselves tosucceedina fieldnotbuiltfor them.The womeninvolvedshared theirhopesfor the futurewith thoseparticipating, whowill carrythose feelingsbeyond theevent and intotherestof theworld.