The score 5-2. USA women’s soccer team wins the World Cup against Japan. I was watching the game with my two little boys (4 & 6 years old) sitting with me, all three of us cheering the women on.. and my boys commenting on how amazing these girls played soccer. They were proud of them, and saw strong amazing women fight for a title the had long desired. It was a moment in history that I got to witness with my sons right by my side. I was tempted to wake my daughter, eager for her to be a part of such an amazing moment… But resisted because she’s only 22 months and would honestly have no clue what was happening.
As we sat in anticipation of watching the medals be given out, my excitement lessened a little as I saw the women who were walking the medals out to the podium to be handed out the soccer players… They walked out in little black dresses and high heels (across a grass field mind you- or was it terf..I can’t remember if the women lost that battle too… I know they wanted to play in real grass… But reguardless)their hair perfect, make up perfect… And it saddened me… Here we were breaking all sorts of stereotypes, showing the world that women are more than just looks and beauty. They are strong, they are bold and they are brave. They don’t give up and they certainly are willing to fight til the end, the USA woman’s soccer team was a perfect example of that last night. But they also showed how women are kind and courteous, by forming a human tunnel for the Japan team to walk through as they received their medals, showing them honor and applauding them for the game they played… But those women in the black dresses… They fit almost every stereotype put on us as women in the United States (and many other country’s as well). Sure they were beautiful and poised.. But I think they would have been just as beautiful and poised if they had come out in something less revealing and more appropriate for the occasion… Heck I would have felt more proud as an American woman, and a soccer loving girl if they had come out in Adidas track suits than I did seeing them walk out in those small black dresses (yes I realize these women were likely from Canada and not the USA and would have been wearing these outfits regardless of who won) but that’s just the point.. All these women, no matter what part of the world they are coming from are there breaking stereotypes and taking women out of the figurative boxes they have been kept in for far too long. They played with heart and strength, and earned the respect of men, women, boys and girls all over the world.. And it was done without perfect hair, makeup, or little black dresses and high heels.
As a mom of a little girl, I hope she aspires to be like those women out on that soccer field last night playing their hearts out and I pray she never finds her worth in a little black dress . I also hope all the little girls and boys that were watching that game last night didn’t even notice those women in the black dresses (no offense to them, I am sure they were only wearing what they were told) but instead I hope they remember those women in uniform. The women who made history.. As a team. The women who raised the World Cup trophy together, showing unity, friendship, sportsmanship, and victory.
Congratulations USA women’s soccer team. You ignited hope and dreams of little girls all around the world. As for FIFA… For the next World Cup, get the women who carry the medals out, event appropriate outfits… No scratch that… Do one better…Get some men to hand the medals to the women!! Just like the women do for the men during the men’s World Cup! Just sayin’….
X♥O Nicole
Awesome post! I also noticed the little black dresses. I thought it would have been so awesome to have little girl soccer players hand out the medals.