“There is so much that women can do, if only they would just include us.” These words stuck with me from last year’s She Moves event, when Deide Konney, the intramurals coordinator, was addressing all of the women in the room. Last year, U of T held the first ever She Moves Conference to celebrate and empower women in sport. There are so many amazing things about this event, but something I find so incredible is just how supportive everyone is of each other.
There were a range of activities and participants signed up in advance to choose the team that offered the activities they wanted to try. My team went from yoga to basketball, running and cycling to European handball, and finally seated volleyball to foam rolling. The girls on both teams were so supportive, always telling each other “good job” and “nice try” every time someone made a basket and when they didn’t. I remember thinking to myself just how amazing that is. We were essentially playing with a room full of strangers and within minutes we were cheering each other on. Its rare to find environments as welcoming as this—the real world is competitive and tough, and my academic experience at U of T has been no different. Instead of feeling ashamed for messing up, we created an atmosphere that was so encouraging and uplifting, no one was afraid to try again.
International Women’s Day is such an important day, because it gives all of us a gentle reminder to take the time to think about our position in society, and to reflect on the ways we are privileged. As a (mostly) white woman in a North American society attending an educational institution, I can see that I am extremely lucky. I haven’t been faced with some of the barriers other women around the world encounter everyday. I have the opportunity to raise my voice and share my thoughts with the world, a luxury many women are not yet afforded. I’m able to play sports if I wish, to get a degree in something I love, to choose who and when I want to marry. It can be incredibly easy to get swept up in our lives without pausing to recognize the amazing opportunities and privileges we are lucky enough to have. But days like today are created to help us pause.
One of my favorite parts of the event is the panel discussion at the end of the night. One of panelists was Olympic swimmer Kylie Masse. She discussed how as women, it can be especially challenging because of the pressures to have a certain body type. Unfortunately, women are continually sexualized, even in athletic domains, which shifts the focus away from what our bodies can do and places it on how our bodies look. We also discussed the importance of creating spaces where women feel safe to participate in sports, without the threat of being objectified or harassed. The women’s only hours have created such a space within U of T, however, not all women have these kinds of spaces in their own lives. Ultimately, the goal is to level the playing field, to foster an atmosphere that is inclusive and supportive of women, and sexual and racial minorities.
There are so many incredible women who have furthered our progress in the fight for equality, but we still have a ways to go. Events like the She Moves Conference are contributing to that fight, proving that women in sport are here and can do some amazing things.