I was introduced to the sports world as a newborn. My dad was a die-hard Montreal Canadiens (Habs) hockey fan and was quick to pass that love to me. I have quite a few pictures of myself (starting at only a few months old) decked out in Habs gear with both my parents. I’ve also had the privilege of attending a number of games in both Toronto and Montreal over the last 20 years. As a child, going to the games and watching games on the TV was just fun; there was nothing deeper about it. As I got older, I started to feel a bit more conscious of the fact that I was never going to be able to be a sports fan; I would always be a female sports fan.
The same happens at baseball games. Being a baseball fan is something I share with my mom. I’ve been a Blue Jays fan for over 10 years now and just last year, I used some saved-up money to buy myself my own Blue Jays jersey (Bo Bichette, of course! What else would you expect?!). Like hockey, as a kid, I loved going to games because that’s all they were. I didn’t have this little male voice in my head telling me I wasn’t smart enough to really understand, unlike the way I do now.
Of course, I know that I’m smart when it comes to the two. I’ve been watching them for years and not only do I understand the rules of the games, but I keep up to date on the players. I know who’s who on the ice, even when I can’t see their names. I know who’s playing in the outfield and how that impacts who might be playing in the infield. I know my stuff, so why do I still feel so isolated and wrong when I tell men I’m going to watch a game? I thought I’d put together some of the common phrases I get told during my mentally painful conversations about sports. I hope that some of the other sports girlies out there will realize that it’s cool to like sports, no matter how silly a man might make you feel.
“You Just Think They’re Hot”
First of all, obviously I do. That was never a secret. If you think, as a 20-year-old girl, I’m not in love with Cole Caufield and Bo Bichette, you’re lying to yourself. However, that’s far from why I watch the games. I watch hockey and baseball because I enjoy the game. I like the feeling of anxiety I get in the last 20 seconds of the third period of a Habs game when the scores are tied, hoping there doesn’t have to be a five-minute overtime period (even though my team will get at least one point, even if they lose). I like standing in the SkyDome during what might be the final pitch of the ninth inning, hoping the Jays might get one more homerun and leave with a bang. The pretty men on the team are just a nice little bonus to the excitement I feel when I’m watching.
“Name Five Players”
This is one of the dumbest phrases I’ve heard from men trying to “fact-check” me. Not only is it just silly, but it doesn’t have anything to do with sport. Sure, knowing who’s who is helpful while listening to sports commentators, but it doesn’t show how much I know about the game. The players don’t impact the rules of the game, so what does naming them show you about my ability to understand what’s going on?
“Did You See What Just Happened There?”
I’ve been asked this by so many people and while I’m sure it’s meant to come across as helpful, man is it condescending. I’ve never once heard a man ask his male buddy if he “saw what just happened there” but sure enough, as soon as it’s me or it’s me and my mom, the question’s asked at least once. It comes across like I’m dumb or like the situation was far too complicated for me to grasp. If I’ve been watching the game and haven’t asked a question thus far, you can assume I know what’s going on.
“She Doesn’t Know What She’s Doing”
It’s already so difficult for women in the sports industry, and it doesn’t help when men ridicule every woman they see for absolutely no reason. Recently, more women broadcasters have been added to many male-dominated groups. I’ve seen more women on Sportsnet (SN) in the last two years than I ever have. I think it’s great that women athletes with knowledge about their field are being given the opportunity to be a part of the discussion. But of course, this sentiment seems to be rarely shared by the men I’ve talked to. Lots of them believe these women are “diversity hires” and don’t really deserve their positions. While I don’t agree with diversity hiring, just let the girl keep doing what she’s doing! If Miss four-time-Olympic-medalist Jennifer Botterill is talking about hockey on SN or Hockey Night in Canada, just let her. Women know exactly what they’re talking about.
“Who Taught You That?” and similarly, “Where Did You Learn That?”
I learned it from watching the game for the last 20 years. Sure, my parents (dad and mom) taught me the basic rules of the game when I was younger, but I know the extent of my sports knowledge from watching the games. This is another one of those condescending questions men only seem to ask women. Once you’re invested in a sport, it’s really not that hard (at least as men make it seem) to understand what’s going on.
It’s quite frustrating (as I’m sure you can see) to be a female sports fan. There will always be men that make you feel inferior and stupid, and it just reinforces the fact that there is still this gender divide in even the simplest of things. At the end of the day, screw them! Watch sports and do it because you know what’s going on, do it because it makes you happy or do it because they’re hot. It’s never as deep as men make it.