Women’s World Cup – Not “just about winning “

Cross post from Salutations

Dear Rabbi Joshua Hess,

I just read the article you wrote called “U.S. Women’s Soccer and the Problem of American Exceptionalism.” It’s clear you don’t like soccer. Or women’s sports. Not so subtle comments about this “boring, low-scoring game” which is not “a real man’s sport” alongside absolutely zero positive comments about these women’s achievement reveal your true feelings about women’s soccer. That’s fine.

And I do appreciate you pointing out that much of America is only concerned with women’s soccer because they are doing so well. That’s probably true. America certainly has a winning-complex and an unhealthy and destructive drive to be “the best.”

Yet, this is not why many American women are thrilled about today’s game. It is not because they have become “the darlings of our country (seriously?!)” or because baseball doesn’t start until September.

My own excitement stems from the fact that I am a woman, and I played soccer, and I love the sport. (This is sufficient reason to care.) I started in fifth grade, played on rec teams until high school where soccer became the center of my existence. I might not have been the best player, but I worked hard and loved it. I watched it, played it, lived and breathed it. When I was a senior in high school, I went on a road trip with a fellow player to meet my heroine, Brandi Chastain, and have her sign my captain band. That was an incredible day.

As you may know, Brandi Chastain scored the winning goal of the 1999 Women’s World Cup. Unfortunately, many people only know that because she removed her jersey afterwards revealing her (gasp!) sports bra on the field. How many times I have heard her referenced solely for the fact that her shirt was removed, I cannot begin to count. Not surprisingly, her success (and to some extent, the entire team’s success) was co-opted by the objectification of Brandi Chastain. She, and that win, will always be remembered by many only because she removed her shirt. This is tragic, but not surprising. We could never let strong, successful women get away with just being strong and successful. We need a little sexual objectification just to keep things in order.

Needless to say, I didn’t need her to sign my captain band because she removed her jersey. I wanted her to sign my band because she kicked ass on the field. And I wanted to do that too.

That was the last Women’s World Cup. This is another shot, another opportunity for women to excel and just maybe, not be objectified or co-opted. Many American women are excited about today’s game for very different reasons than the “need to win.”

Let’s start with the fifth grade girl who plays on a rec team. Her male friends make fun of her sport because “girls don’t play real soccer.” Or she’s on a co-ed team and the boys always apologize to her if she gets knocked down because “girls can’t play rough.” Today, that girl is beaming with pride. Today, she will watch her heroine kick-ass and believe a little more in herself.

Then there’s the high school soccer girls. No one cares about their sport at school. Maybe a few close friends come to their games but mostly, no one notices their hard work, their sweat and bruises, perseverance and passion. Who cares about women’s soccer? Today, our whole nation is watching.

Or take us retired players. We are reminded of the glory of the “good old days.” Watching these women play connects us with our own achievements – whether we won or lost.

And even more so, let’s consider women and girls who may not even play soccer. We are excited because America will be supporting a group of incredibly talented women who do not fit the stereotypical idea of what a woman should look like, act like, or do with her life. We rejoice in the opportunity to watch women excel at something without (hopefully) being objectified or co-opted by male counterparts. Today, the US Women will be sweaty, strong, aggressive, dirty, angry and proud – characteristics which are generally off-limits for American women.

You are convinced that no one will care after the game is over, especially if we lose. But that’s because to you (and to many), it’s just another sport – a woman’s sport – that usually doesn’t matter. This is unfortunate – for you and for women’s sports.

I’ll be at Biergarten Haus on H St. watching the game with other women and men who genuinely love the sport. I wish you could join us. I’m certain you’d do a re-write of your article.

I’ll have a beer for you.
Mare – #6, Sweeper.