As you often do once you begin college, I began hearing the same question from my family, friends and literally anyone who found out I was in college: "What's your major?"
I would smile back and reply, "Sports communications." The other person's smile would falter a little, turn fake, and they would muster out an "Oh. That's interesting."
Soon the awkward questions would follow. "But you're a girl." "Are you sure you have enough knowledge about sports to be in that field?" Or the worst one: "Your looks will really help you get a job."
Although the last one is always meant to be said as a compliment, it is offensive. The reason I am pursuing a sports communications degree is that I want enough knowledge to make a name for myself in my chosen field. I don't want to get hired because I'm pretty. I want to get hired because I am qualified.
What the people don't know is that I have been surrounded by sports my entire life. I have played my fair share of sports, but my one true love has always been hockey. My brother has been playing hockey since he was about five years old, and my grandparents have had season tickets for the St. Louis Blues since before I was born. I don't remember my first hockey game. I've been going for so long, I don't know which game began it all.
What I do know is that the sound of ice skates gliding on fresh ice is one of my favorite sounds. And my favorite Christmas gift from my boyfriend was not the Kate Spade earrings he got me (although I do love them a lot), but the center ice hockey tickets he got me. And getting to the rink 30 minutes before warm-ups start is so worth it I get to be against the glass to watch the players warm up before the game.
And yes, I know stats. I know that this year is the first time since 2001 that the Blues have made it to the third round of the playoffs. And I know that the "Miracle on Ice" was not what ultimately gave Team USA the gold medal. They still had to defeat Finland in order to win the medal, which they did. And I also know that Ben Bishop is the tallest goalie in the NHL, and that T.J. Oshie is from Mount Vernon, Washington, not Warroad, Minnesota, as the NHL says.
So yes, I am qualified to be in the sports field. But I shouldn't have to prove myself to other people on the basis of my gender. I wish I could say that my dream job is to be a journalist for the Blues so that I can travel with the team, go to every game and practice, and interview the players. But when I say that, all I get is fake smiles and, "That would be fun."
I wish that attitudes about women in the sports field were not so sexist. I'm tired of hearing that my looks will get me the job. I am qualified. Just because I'm a woman does not mean that I can't be passionate about sports.
