Like many Americans, I watched both the women’s and men’s teams win gold in hockey. It was thrilling, the kind of moment that reminds us what shared pride feels like. But that joy was quickly undercut by the behavior of those at the highest levels of leadership.
First, the FBI director abandoned decorum, celebrating with the men’s team in a way that felt more like a fraternity party than a moment of national honor. Then, more troubling, the president publicly diminished the women’s team, referencing them almost as an afterthought. For female athletes who have fought for decades to be taken seriously, that tone matters.
Women in sports have long had to prove they belong. They train as hard, often harder, than their male counterparts, yet receive less media coverage, fewer sponsorship dollars, and reduced institutional support. Scholarship opportunities remain disproportionately limited. College programs for women operate with tighter budgets and less visibility. These disparities are real and measurable.
At the same time, we are told that the greatest threat to women’s athletics comes from a small number of transgender athletes, an issue that affects a tiny fraction of competitors. Meanwhile, broader policies dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion efforts have far-reaching consequences for women overall, especially women who are poor or women of color. When DEI initiatives are weakened, access narrows. And when access narrows, opportunity follows.
A Dec. 2, 2024, a Forbes article (“What women’s sports can teach us about DEI in the workplace”) noted that the growth of women’s sports shows what happens when doors are opened wide: everyone benefits. Inclusion is not charity. It is smart leadership.
Real safety, real fairness and real opportunity for female athletes begin with respect and support from the top. Women have earned more than symbolic applause. They deserve full recognition, and leadership that reflects it.
Terry Palmer, Midvale
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