It has taken me a little bit to collect my thoughts on this because the past day and a half have just been rant and opinion after another, which I am so glad individuals are speaking out, but I have felt so overwhelmed.
That being said, I have had a pit in my stomach since the win.
At first, I felt some pride in a few of the individuals representing the USA, but that all went away the second I realized the true implications of the win, especially after I saw that video of them on the phone with Tr*mp.
They have made this win less about representing the USA, but rather a celebration of their own hateful values and an alignment with a power structure rooted in white supremacy and bigotry
And I just cannot stop thinking about the women’s team that has been playing their asses off for years to get the recognition they deserve, and the way they were treated as an afterthought and a joke by all the men in that room. It was completely disheartening and gut-wrenching to see.
These men have mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, and other women in their lives who have helped them get to this point, and yet, when given the chance to acknowledge women as equals rather than accessories, they chose silence, mockery, or alignment with power instead.
That choice is what hurt the most.
Furthermore, seeing the Hughes brothers in particular go on Good Morning America, smiling and completely missing the point of why so many people (women especially) are upset with them, is baffling.
That media appearance felt less like accountability and more like image management.
I want to see an apology, and I want to see men making strides to, both publicly and privately, be more respectful to women.
And Jack’s comment about how “everything is so political” is infuriating. This win became political the second they got off the ice, allowed the head of the FBI to get drunk with them on taxpayers’ dollars, and started foaming at the mouth at the opportunity to shake hands with a known predator, abuser, and powerful man.
Lastly, I keep seeing individuals on all platforms repeating the sentiment, “that people should never expect better from rich-cishet-white men.” And as I sit with that idea, I realize how harmful it actually is.
Lowering the bar doesn’t protect us from this shitty behaviour, but rather normalizes it.
It is not naive to have hoped that this new generation of players would do better, or that they might represent a more just and inclusive vision within hockey culture. Even if that hope was disappointed, striving for a better culture and a higher standard still matters.
Accepting less only guarantees that nothing changes.
People watch and fucking love women's sports!!!
Sports should be more affordable and accessible to all!!!
Queer and trans folk deserve safe places to participate in sports!!!
And racism is not a side issue in sports, it is embedded within the system!!!!
Ignoring all of this only allows it to continue.
