With the Summer Olympics in full gear, I hold the edge of my seat cheering on Shalane and Amy, Gabby and Simone, Katie and Dana, Mara, and so many more incredible and inspiring women who are ready to give it all they have. I get teary eyes, I am inspired, I am blown away by the amazing talent of the women who represent our country.
This year, 45 percent of the competitors at Rio are women--a higher percentage than any other year. That's 4,700 women competitors of 10,444 total athletes. Those figures excite me! As an aspiring runner, these women teach me that my body can go faster and further and that it was made to do greater things. Their level of determination and discipline push me to give it all I have, and remind me that my limits are higher than I believe they are. These athletes are the ones that I pray my future daughter or niece will look up to as they are growing in confidence and strength.
I am pleased that the percentage of women competitors this year is higher than ever before. However, I still believe that we have a way to go. Of the 170 commentators for the Olympics this year, only about 20 percent are women. Also, only 24 of 106 International Olympic Committee board members are women. Is this a problem? Well, two days into the Olympics and women are already being overshadowed by their male counterparts. The Chicago Tribune tweeted "Wife of a Bears' lineman wins a bronze medal today in Rio Olympics" yesterday and didn't even include her name--Corey Cogdell--after her win. As I watched Katinka Hosszu break the world record in the 400-meter individual medley, I listened to the commentators describe her husband as "the man responsible" for her success as if Hosszu's pure talent, discipline, and skill had nothing to do with it. These are just two examples this year of the discrimination against women athletes in the Olympics, as we are only on day two.
I am thankful that, during the 2016 Olympics, women seem to be getting more air time to celebrate their achievements and that less are being asked purely about their outfits and hair as in previous years. I am glad that there is a greater percentage of women competitors this year than ever before. But the battle is not over yet. I want our next generation of young girls to turn on the television to see women celebrated for their drive, determination, and strength rather than just their looks and what family they were born into. We need to stop comparing the successes of women to men, as if that makes it more comfortable for us to see. We need to be passionate about seeing these role models celebrated so that they can continue to inspire young women to push themselves to the limits.
