“I love hockey!” is probably one of the worst sentences a teenage girl can say in public. It isn’t something you simply state and move on from. Instead, you have to brace yourself for the multitude of responses and tones that could be thrown back at you. But why is it that when we say these three words and express our interests and passions, we immediately expect criticism in return? Let me take you into my experience as a young, female hockey fan. And maybe after reading this article, you’ll understand why.
Being a female hockey fan makes you automatically susceptible to negativity, but it’s arguably even worse when your team is the New Jersey Devils. Whenever I reveal this to a man, they typically say, “You only like them for the Hughes brothers.” No, I like them because I’ve lived in New Jersey for all 18 years of my life.Â
But why do we make these assumptions? Whenever a man says his favorite team, no one immediately accuses them of only supporting said organization because of a certain player. Instead, we comprehend their words and then move on to the next topic. We don’t dwell on it or start judging them, and we certainly don’t start interrogating them and testing their knowledge of the sport.
Everyone knows the stereotypical “name five players” test that all men seem to love using, but I find it especially amusing when they ask me who my favorite player is. As someone who appreciates the underdogs who are rarely talked about, my absolute favorite player is Jonas Siegenthaler. I already know you’re probably wondering who that is, but your confusion is no match for some of the reactions I’ve gotten from men.
Sometimes, men will hit me with the “That’s surprising, I was expecting you to say Jack Hughes.” But it was only once that I got my personal favorite: “I don’t even know who that is.” Well, then I guess you just aren’t as big of a fan as you say you are. Maybe I should ask you to name five players.Â
My main issue is that some men are so egotistical that they believe their knowledge of the sport is the standard that everyone else should be judged by. If they don’t know who the player is, then it suddenly becomes impressive for a female fan to know them. I obviously don’t expect people to know every single player in the National Hockey League, but the ironic thing is that the man who said that last response to me was a Devils fan. Maybe I’m being too strict, but I think that if you’re a Devils fan, you should know who Siegenthaler is.
Some guys aren’t purposefully judgemental. They just subconsciously expect you to have limited knowledge. I remember being at a Devils game, and there was a group of six guys next to me discussing the Original Six teams. They had named five, and were struggling to remember the final one. The Detroit Red Wings, I kept repeating in my head. “New York?” one questioned. “No, we already said that one,” another quickly replied. It’s the Detroit Red Wings! Eventually, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. In a quiet, careful manner, I said, “It’s the Detroit Red Wings.” They were shocked, looking at each other with puzzled faces. They had to confirm with one another before acknowledging that I was correct. When they did, they were positive, so I don’t think they did this intentionally, but it was still something interesting that I noticed.
For the past five years, I’ve prided myself on attending nearly every single Devils home game. I had season tickets two rows behind the bench, and whenever I told a man this, 99% of the time they would say, “We know why you want to sit there.” They think I like sitting there because I get to look at the players, but the real reason I love those seats is the complete opposite. You see the things no one else sees: the minor equipment issues, the discussions between players and coaches, and sometimes, you even hear the players.
It makes me wonder why some men are so threatened by a woman being interested in sports. As fans, don’t they want to grow the game? Because if so, I’m pretty sure that would mean increasing the number of female fans.
What’s particularly interesting and funny to me is that the actual players and people in the industry themselves have no problem with women in sports. In fact, I’ve talked to many of them. Players, coaches, reporters. They’re incredibly supportive and welcoming. So, why is it that these guys don’t care or judge, but those who rot on their couches all day do?
Yes, it could be jealousy. It could be a response to feeling threatened by a passionate, educated woman. But at its core, it’s something else: misogyny. I’ve come to realize that there will be doubters wherever you go as a woman. Sure, it may be more normalized and projected in sports, but I refuse to see it as a downside or reason to deter me from my dreams. Instead, I use it as motivation to prove them wrong.
So sure, I may know more about hockey than the average guy, but what’s the problem with that?
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