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I know this isn't about the service industry, but it is something that needs to be said. When they published the pictures of the women hockey players smoking cigars and drinking beer on the ice of GM Place after winning a gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, it caused quite a controversy. Why? Is it sexism? Maybe... I think that if it were the boys who had behaved this way, we would just say "Oh, boys will be boys” but because it was our girls, we disapprove and think badly of them. Why? Because they are supposed to be role models, an example for young people, young girls. They were supposed to act like ladies. We scream equality and then don't abide by it. Girls are taught to play nice, be polite, be lady-like, don't be rough or get dirty like the boys.
Like any scandal, there are always bigger issues at the source of it and they are uncovered and exposed. This controversy implies that these girls did something wrong. Since when is it wrong to celebrate with cigars and booze. Aren't these things legal substances? They sell the stuff in GM place to spectators, for a huge profit I might add, for both GM Place and the government. Men have handed out cigars at the birth of their kids for decades and don't we clink champagne glasses to commemorate an achievement, event or special occasion? This comes down to our view of alcohol, really. Our liquor laws reflect that attitude, most of them are archaic and outdated...
Some will say that some of them were under aged...who cares? Those who criticize are hypocrites, if you ask me. We were all young once and who hasn't had a sip of alcohol before their 19th birthday? When did we get so uptight? Obviously, this isn't something these girls do all the time, it's not possible, take it from me, you can't drink and smoke and win gold medals at the Olympics.
How dare we deny these ladies their moment. Imagine having the chance to play the game you love on NHL ice? What an honour to be on not only the world stage, but the CANADIAN stage. Truly a dream come true for all girls who play the game. Women's hockey doesn't always get the recognition it deserves, then these women get a chance to play on home ice, with the whole country watching, cheering and supporting them. Truly unprecedented! Let them celebrate, they worked hard, trained and practiced their whole lives to get to that very spot. Then they win gold for us, Canada (their 3rd by the way) and we don't want them to have a few cigars and beers on the ice they earned the right to be on. I can imagine that they were reluctant to leave, to unlace their skates, take off the jersey they wore with pride and did justice to. I can understand them wanting to prolong that moment as long as they could, to take it all in, absorb and savour what is probably a surreal experience. Ice they will likely never skate on again, or ever play hockey on...let them have their moment. Let's all remember that hockey is our game and they played their hearts out for us. Don't worry ladies, you did us proud, girls will be girls after all...next time, just flash them and really give them something to bitch about.
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