{"id":537,"date":"2016-11-07T15:53:45","date_gmt":"2016-11-07T15:53:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cehhs-sportandpeace.utdev1.wpengine.com\/?p=537"},"modified":"2018-09-10T18:53:00","modified_gmt":"2018-09-10T18:53:00","slug":"in-support-of-harvard-womens-soccer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/sportandpeace\/2016\/11\/07\/in-support-of-harvard-womens-soccer\/","title":{"rendered":"In Support of Harvard Women’s Soccer"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"soccer-ball-photo\"<\/a><\/p>\n

By Alicia H. Malnati, PhD, CSPS Research and Design\u00a0Assistant<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I’m going to be a bit more honest here than I probably should be.<\/p>\n

A few days ago, I read this statement<\/a> from the Harvard Women’s Soccer team. As a fellow human being, I encourage you to read it in its entirety. The 951 words are bold and provocative, and I am proud to share their bravery with you.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

By now the story is national news, largely because of the consequences<\/a> delivered earlier this week, but here\u2019s the gist: In what appears to be an annual tradition, members of the men’s soccer team at Harvard produced and circulated a \u201cscouting report\u201d in 2012 that rated incoming recruits to the women’s soccer team based on their perceived sexual appeal and physical attractiveness.<\/p>\n

And, before you brush off their vulgar words as insignificant or get annoyed with another story about how women aren’t equal, let me provide you a few excerpts:<\/p>\n

\u201cShe seems relatively simple and probably inexperienced sexually, so I decided missionary would be her preferred position.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe looks like the kind of girl who both likes to dominate, and likes to be dominated.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe seems to be very strong, tall and manly so, I gave her a 3 because I felt bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile some of the scouting report last year was wrong, the overall consensus that [a certain player] was both the hottest and<\/em> the most STD ridden was confirmed.\u201d<\/p>\n

I include their exact words not to spread sexually explicit comments about women across the Internet but instead to highlight the extent to which these young men feel ownership over women’s bodies and women\u2019s lives. Their words are painful, degrading, and outright disgusting. Their attitude reinforces to our collective conscience that women ought to submit to men.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, this situation is familiar. \u201cAs if we weren\u2019t surprised men had spoken of us inappropriately,\u201d the women stated. Hearing another story about men disrespecting women, comparing them to sexual ideals, or feeling \u201centitled to bodies that aren’t theirs\u201d feels strikingly normal. Somewhere deep down in your gut, it probably feels normal to you too.<\/p>\n

This normative language deprives women of dignity and respect. We all know that. But it also dehumanizes them, reduces them to objects of use for others. And, when we learn that it\u2019s okay to comment on and joke about women with words that undermine their worth, our standard for how we act toward them is a little bit lower too.<\/p>\n

You see, research shows that historically, \u201cThe introduction of humanizing language has generally preceded humanizing changes in societal behavior,\u201d meaning that we must first speak about women with respect before we will treat them with respect. Our words and actions are inextricably linked.<\/p>\n

In a thick case of irony, I\u2019m in Washington D.C., not for the historic election we\u2019ll all see on Tuesday, but to implement an initiative that aims to empower women and girls through sports. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and espnW, the Global Sports Mentoring Program brings together women from around the world and empowers them to use sport as a way to address important issues in their community. Access to sports, gender expectations, lack of role models, underserved youth, low levels of education, you name it.<\/p>\n

This week I\u2019ll hear this year\u2019s participants, 16 women from 13 countries, describe their vision for change, undoubtedly my favorite part of the program. They\u2019ll use their words, their voice, their bravery to challenge dominant narratives in their home country, dominant narratives we\u2019ve all seen in our own country.<\/p>\n

Their words matter because change is painfully and agonizingly slow. As the Harvard women stated, \u201cMore than anything, we are frustrated that this is a reality that all women have faced in the past and will continue to face throughout their lives.\u201d So, tomorrow I\u2019ll hear from 16 incredible women working to do something about it. Tomorrow I\u2019ll hear plans of action to create spaces where women are valued and uplifted, where women\u2019s contributions are remembered, where a new culture of men and women can work together to address issues we all know exist. And, with our support and the support of those at home, they\u2019ll find the courage to actually do something about it.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m exactly where I need to be.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Alicia H. 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