Canada's Bearded Ladies

(Photo -Yahoo Sports)

I'll admit that I have not watched a great deal of women's hockey - save for a few minutes of an Olympic matchup a few days ago - and even then, I had questions (such as "why am I watching this?").

I make no claim to be a "fan", but I have been stirred to come to the defense of the embattled Canadian Olympic women's hockey team, as a wave of political correctness threatens to swamp their merry island... or ice floe.

In an emptying areana, the team (having just won the Olympic gold medal) celebrated on the ice with beer and cigars, which has caused no end of consternation and embarrassment for the Canadian Olympic committee. Such behavior sets a bad example, according to some (one girl was under the legal drinking age).

I withhold judgment on that issue until I know what brand of beer and cigars they indulged in.

But on principle, I must stand with these Olympic lasses and issue an official TLBC eye-roll to the hysterical ninnies who have made this an issue.

Do you figure the beer or the tobacco will land them in more trouble?

Anyway... puff proudly, ladies.

Comments

[Bruce]

It would seem plausible to go after them for underage drinking (pretty tough to condone, particularly in such a public venue), but otherwise, people--good heavens, let them celebrate in good, hearty, hockey-like fashion!

[Tim J.]

"It would seem plausible to go after them for underage drinking (pretty tough to condone, particularly in such a public venue)"

True, I don't want to condone underage drinking, at all, but I believe that making a big, public scene over the incident will only enourage *more* underage drinking.

Celebrity is the coin of the adolescent realm, and when many kids of the right sort of temperament see one of their peers having great time, earning respect *and* causing a little scandal, to boot... that looks pretty good, especially if the girl only ends up with a slap on the wrist (which is most likely).

Take the girl aside, or more sensibly, take the supervising adults aside, and handle things, but don't turn the young lady into a kind of tabloid star in addition to her being a well-known sports figure.

But manufacturing news is sort of the job of the press. A gold medal isn't enough... gotta gin up a scandal to sell ads.

[John Kasaian]

I think celebrating with beer and cigars is a splendid idea! More atheletes should celebrate victories with as much gusto. As a minor, the repercussion should be directed to whomever gave the girls the beer, if there really has to be repercussions.

I mean, they're teenagers---the Olympic gestapo should cut 'em some slack. They could have done a lot worse (and being a former teenager, I know! These girls should be commended for showing a little class---if they were had decent cigars anyway.)

[Del]

"Anyway... puff proudly, ladies."

I'd like to see them get into some sort of Prouder Puff Derby.

[M. B.]

Maybe I'm a sexist... but my biggest problem is that this just isn't lady-like. But then, neither is hockey, so I'm probably just in over my head on this one. Somehow I doubt G.K. and J.R.R. would be pleased with Frances and Edith smoking cigars, and the only Lewis female who smoked I can remember is Fairy Hardcastle...

[Tim J.]

"Maybe I'm a sexist... but my biggest problem is that this just isn't lady-like"

No, I don't thinks that's sexist. In fact, there is absurdity all around the story, but in this case I thought the self-appointed Defenders of Public Morals were the most egregious.

I always hate to see women aping men in some misguided attempt at "equality" or what have you, but I find the alarmists even more... alarming.

It seems to me that when women copy the habits and attitudes of men, they are thereby pretty well admitting that "feminism" lost the argument before it began.

Briefly; I support their liberty to celebrate however they like (within the law), but I wish they could think of something better to do.

[M. B.]

After I posted, I remembered Chesterton had a quote that captured what I meant (doesn't he always?):

"For the two things that a healthy person hates most between heaven and hell are a woman who is not dignified and a man who is."

But I agree that of all the things for our PC social-minders to get up in arms about, this is minor.