The skiing world holds many examples of women standing up for equality; talented, outspoken individuals who never asked to be considered legitimate contenders, they simply were. It just might be that ladies that take on this particular sport are gutsy to begin with, but looking into female athletes made me realize just how many have stood up for equal rights. Though it may be an uphill battle, ladies in downhill sports have not been afraid to lead the charge. For your consideration, two of my favourite skier heroines; Just short of war paint and battles cries, they took the fight for equality head on.
Suzy “Chapstick” Chaffee
“Amazing things happened to me by following my intuition.”
(refer to PowderMag)
Most people would know Ms. Chaffee for her long-running ad campaign for Chapstick in the 1970’s, but it’s her wins for women that should be her claim to fame. After a disappointing experience at the 1968 Winter Olympics, Chaffee went on to become one of the first female freestyle skiers. Hot-Dog skiing was on the up and up, quite predictably without a female devision. That didn’t stop Ms. Chapstick from winning it’s first three world championships.
The story doesn’t end there. Also on Suzy’s list of achievements was becoming the first woman on the Olympic Committee’s Board of Directors, serving on President Ford’s Council on Physical Fitness and championing Title IX. The latter allowed for equal opportunity for women in school sports. What a gal.
Sarah Burke
“Ever since I was a kid I just thrived off of someone saying ‘no you can’t'”
A no brainer, really. Any skier would have to agree, this lady, rest her soul, kicked some serious butt. There has been a definite “Sarah hype” following her untimely death, but this doesn’t take away from her incredible courage and trailblazing for female freestyle athletes. If you watched the women’s half-pipe competition these past Olympics in Sochi, then you surely will have seen the tribute in her honour: skiers sliding down the course in a heart formation. Not only was Sarah one of the leading contenders for the newly inducted sport, she acted as one of the main advocates for it’s inclusion in the Olympics.
Long before this event even had female competitors, Sarah Burke was relegated to fore-running for men’s competitions. No matter that she was throwing down just as hard as her male counterparts, when she asked to compete it was a flat out no. Only in 2005 was women’s ski half-pipe included in the X Games, after countless calls, petitions and letters on Sarah’s part. This came three years after men were competing in the same event.
Burke went on to be a four time X Game champion. As if she hadn’t given enough to the freestyle skiing community, the pioneer also coached girls on glaciers in the summer, paving the way for future female competitors in more than one way.
This International Women’s Day, I hope to take a page of out their books. Get empowered, and walk the path to equality!
Winter is coming,