From Taylor Swift to Heated Rivalry, pop culture is reshaping women in hockey and creating safer, more inclusive spaces for queer fans entering the sport.
“YOU SUCK!” —a cheer that once scared me—I now scream passionately inside the hallowed walls of an ice rink.
Surrounded by beer and hotdogs, I listen to cheers bounce off the walls and hype up fans and players alike. Three periods, hopefully some fighting, a packed stadium, and enthusiastic fans define the environment that drew me into hockey.
Early on, I found myself uncomfortable announcing myself as a hockey fan when I really wasn’t sure of the rules or players’ names. I didn’t have this worry sitting beside my friend, but beyond my gripped hand and whispering, “what the hell is icing,” I knew I liked hockey. But I was unsure if I could say something without being judged by people not as accepting of my knowledge deficits as my friends.
How Heated Rivalry Made Hockey Feel Accessible
This is when Heated Rivalry came into my life.
Two weeks prior to the show’s initial release, I had just come home from college for a Taylor Swift-themed ECHL game. I was ecstatic to see so many little girls in jerseys singing words to songs I knew, trading friendship bracelets, making microphones, and embracing their femininity and girlhood while also hitting the boards to get a puck.
This felt safe and inclusive. So it was no surprise when I heard about a queer MLM hockey romance show.
I jumped at the first opportunity to stay up till 4 a.m. reading pirated (so sorry Rachel Reid; I am a broke college student) editions of Heated Rivalry and The Long Game on my laptop.
Heated Rivalry has brought me into a world where I can be proudly queer, indulge in reading smut, and talk about hockey.
As I delved into my newfound fandom, I begged my friends to watch this show, wanting to share with them the same safety and security I was thriving in.
I had two different reactions.
Several of my friends, none of whom were hockey fans, loved the show and agreed that it made the sport feel more accessible, even offering to accompany me to games.
My friends who are hockey fans had heard about the show, but questioned the sexualization of gay men and hockey players and refused to watch it. I knew this was a possibility, but I was shocked.
As a queer woman, I wasn’t sure how to communicate why I liked the show.
Lesbians are historically fetishized and overtly sexualized.
With Heated Rivalry, I have been able to relish in an unfolding queer love story, not skewed by the male gaze (just male gays), a dynamic that has shaped the way lesbians have been depicted in media.
Let’s shift the perspective to new fans, such as my friends who will go to games with me now because of Heated Rivalry.
I recently stumbled upon a podcast called The Rinkside Social Club, described as “THE hockey podcast for people who love to talk hockey but have no clue what they’re actually talking about.”
The hosts got into hockey after reading Pucked Around (another hockey romance) and offer comforting female banter around ongoing NHL and PWHL news. I thoroughly enjoy their commentary and am seriously considering purchasing merchandise.
While browsing their website, I came across a few pieces in the “mansplaining” collection—crewnecks and T-shirts featuring phrases like “name five players” or “your ex must be a big hockey fan.”
I find this hilarious, but it made me start thinking about what options are actually available to women, particularly queer women, for safe spaces when entering the fandom of a predominantly gatekept sport surrounded by masculinity and conservative values.
While navigating safe spaces is a challenge, I want to offer my two cents to those who are just entering the world of hockey.
This is a friendly reminder: you do not have to dive all in at once or alone.
I suggest starting with a local team and going to games (which can help everything click). As you continue to learn more about the (maybe not so heated) team rivalries, lore, drama, and rules, your passion will grow.
If you are like me and afraid of doing this alone, invite your friends with you and propose a PowerPoint night, so all of you can start this journey together, forming your own community.