When Irishwoman Katie Taylor goes for Olympic gold I won't be watching
Posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 09:36 AM
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| Irish boxer Katie Taylor, favorite to win gold at the London Olympics. |
Katie Taylor is Ireland's best hope for a gold medal at the Olympic Games, which take place in London two months from now. I hope she wins her gold medal, but I won't be tuning in to watch her. Taylor is a boxer and, although this possibly puts me at odds with 'modernity,' I will not watch women's boxing.
From everything I've picked up through the television, radio and newspapers Taylor is a fantastic boxer, extremely skilled in the "manly art of self defense" and is favorite to win gold. This past weekend she won the gold at the World Championships, a title she has held since 2006.
Of course women's boxing is a minor sport, unlikely to create much of a stir in most countries, but in Ireland Katie Taylor is on the verge of becoming a superstar. Public misgivings about women's boxing are non-existent either because people are afraid of falling afoul of the PC police or they're too desperate to see the Irish flag fly above all others as the Irish anthem rings out at this summer's games. Irish Olympic gold medals are pretty rare, especially if you exclude Michelle Smith's three golds for swimming in Atlanta in 1996.
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Read More:
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Irish boxing champion Katie Taylor says she 'won’t be wearing miniskirts in the ring'
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Undoubtedly Taylor's undamaged face and perfect smile owe a lot to her skills in the ring. My wife met her once and was surprised at how pretty Taylor is.
An attractive woman boxer seems unlikely, but there you go. I'm sure this fact is not lost on marketing people, who are probably drooling at the ways Taylor can be put to work once she wins that gold this summer. The people in charge of women's boxing have probably noticed too. I wouldn't be the least surprised to learn that it was Taylor that they had in mind when they "suggested" that women boxers wear skirts in the ring rather than shorts.
Maybe they didn't know Taylor well enough before making the suggestion. The new sport's biggest star was having none of it. She said the miniskirts they wanted the women to wear were a "disgrace," that she didn't "wear miniskirts on a night out, so I definitely won't be wearing miniskirts in the ring."
Taylor is a female boxer, which is rare enough, but she is also a born again Christian and unafraid to talk about her faith. Among young Irish people that makes her even rarer than a female boxer.
American sports fans are used to athletes making reference to God in interviews, but here that sort of overt religiosity is unknown. Taylor is more Jeremy Lin than Tim Tebow, but regardless I'm sure the Irish media is hoping she keeps those "glory of God" references to a minimum. It invites awkwards silences from interviewers.
My wife may have been surprised by Taylor's appearance, but it was Taylor the person that really got her. Taylor is "humble, friendly, polite, and extremely generous," a real credit to her parents and she'll be a great ambassador for Irish athletes when she wins that gold.
From all I've learned about Taylor I admire her greatly. I really wish her well. It's just that she's only a few years older than my oldest daughter and, although I'd have loved it if my daughter were great at running or soccer or basketball, I would never have wanted her to box.
I expect to watch a fair amount of this summer's Games, but I won't watch women's boxing even when our local hero goes for gold.
{Picture from SpiritRadio.ie.}
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BARNEYKX | Aug 12, 2012, 06:02 AM EDT
Theres been talk of Katie maybe going the pro route,after reading todays sunday mail it would be maybe madness for her to even considerate it according to girl pros in USA they barely get a living out of it,with her boxing grants and sponserships she is doing very well for herself in deed and im sure she will have more sponsers queuing up for her name on their products
WHAT DO YOU THINK??
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TheNDleprechaun | Aug 09, 2012, 01:04 PM EDT
Your article fails to include any explanation of why you won't be watching...
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NYCsheridan | Aug 09, 2012, 07:58 AM EDT
Good Lord, I actually agree with the troll ciaradexy on something. LOL!
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NYCsheridan | Aug 09, 2012, 07:55 AM EDT
Is this article for real? This is LAME.
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ciaradexy | Jul 31, 2012, 03:33 PM EDT
Well said Lwaoise and Kinvara. Yank, youre dead right. You ARE sexist and misogynistic. The fact that you felt the need to comment on Katies face says it all really. Its your daughter (if you have one) that I feel really sorry for. My dad would never have discouraged me from doing anything that he wouldnt have an issue with my brother doing.
Katie stood up to those who wanted female boxers to wear skirts unlike the tennis crowd who decided that the way to get viewers was by exposing their backsides. Katie Taylor is a maverick, a mould breaker and a legend of an Irish woman.
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kinvara7 | Jun 02, 2012, 10:07 AM EDT
Ah, I see, you are not a man telling a woman what to do -you are a 'Father guiding his daughter'. So when you say 'Father' that is different to a man and when you say 'guiding' that means through telepathy and interpretive dance! Come on, Yank, you can do better than that. One 'man' thinks women boxers should wear skirts, because women should be beautiful etc., another man thinks his daughter should not box because women are suposed to be gentler creatures etc. In both situations you have a male ideal of woman being pushed on women. Look at some of the comments you made in your article: "Undoubtedly Taylor's undamaged face and perfect smile owe a lot to her skills in the ring. My wife met her once and was surprised at how pretty Taylor is"; "An attractive woman boxer seems unlikely, but there you go" and "my wife may have been surprised by Taylor's appearance". Your discussion on Katie Taylor, because she is a woman, must focus on physical beauty. Women are still valued according to their phyisical beauty and gentleness and boxing is a threat to both. Would you dissaprove of your daughter playing tennis or becoming a cheerleader? Yet don't they wear skirts?
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kinvara7 | Jun 02, 2012, 10:05 AM EDT
As you point out, Katie won't be wearing a skirt when she competes at the olympics. Yet you still won't watch her box, because you don't approve of it; that seems a little disrespectful to me. I think in your mind female boxing is some sort of exhibition for men, and that Katie is misguided in her chosen sport. Again this all seems very disrespectul to her as an athlete and as a person who has shown an ability to stand up to interferrence as to how she should dress. If, as you say, you can't think of one reason not to respect Katie, then you should show that respect by watching her compete at the Olympics and taking the gold.
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TheYank | May 31, 2012, 10:05 AM EDT
kinvara7,
And I think you're "being a bit dense on purpose." I'm not a "a man telling a woman what to do," but a father guiding his daughter. My role is nothing like a sports administrator. Nothing. The only role that compares is mother.
I was talking about "public misgivings." I believe there are many who privately share my misgivings.
I'm sure there are many people who "respect Katie." In fact, I can think of no reason not to.
I'm also sure there are many who respect women's boxing, but by no means do I think that is a universal view. Maybe a majority of people like the idea of women's boxing. Maybe not. How would we know?
In fact there are many people who want boxing banned all together, men's as well as women's. I don't want to see it banned, but I'm not a boxing fan and I'm especially not a women's boxing fan.
And I think you're "being a bit dense on purpose." I'm not a "a man telling a woman what to do," but a father guiding his daughter. My role is nothing like a sports administrator. Nothing. The only role that compares is mother.
I was talking about "public misgivings." I believe there are many who privately share my misgivings.
I'm sure there are many people who "respect Katie." In fact, I can think of no reason not to.
I'm also sure there are many who respect women's boxing, but by no means do I think that is a universal view. Maybe a majority of people like the idea of women's boxing. Maybe not. How would we know?
In fact there are many people who want boxing banned all together, men's as well as women's. I don't want to see it banned, but I'm not a boxing fan and I'm especially not a women's boxing fan.
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kinvara7 | May 31, 2012, 09:27 AM EDT
@The Yank: I think you are being a bit dense on purpose. So you can’t see a contradiction? You believe your daughter, as a woman, should behave in a certain way according to her sex. This is why you would be ‘very disappointed and work hard to discourage her from’ boxing. To put it simply for you: this is still a man telling a woman what to do, according to a male ideal of what a woman should be.
You were the one who stated that 'misgivings about women's boxing are non-existent'. Those were your words. What I was criticizing, was your attempt to lead your reader’s opinion by suggesting that this could only be ‘because people are afraid of falling afoul of the PC police or they're too desperate to see the Irish flag fly…’ Clearly there is another reason why such misgivings are non-existent, and the reason is a positive one i.e. people respect Katie as an athlete and respect her sport. Do you not agree that this reason exists? Instead of answering that question you just avoided it.
Women who choose to box deserve to be treated with respect and equality. Your flawed article affords them little of that. I understand the intense training and conditioning that Katie will be going through in the run up to the Olympics. I really hope she wins gold, for the country but most of all for herself.
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TheYank | May 30, 2012, 10:28 AM EDT
LwaoiseNíMhaol: Yank any Irish woman could box the living daylights out of you anyday of the week.
Too true.
Too true.
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TheYank | May 30, 2012, 10:25 AM EDT
kinvara7,
I see no contradiction in admiring Katie Taylor's determination to stand up to those who want to use her as a sex symbol - only those who have no faith in the appeal of their sport would want to do that - and my determination to guide my daughters as I think I should.
True I wouldn't know of Katie Taylor without boxing, although first time I heard her name it was due to soccer. She was (is?) one of Ireland's best women's soccer players. Unfortunately, there is no opportunity for her to earn a living in soccer so I don't know if she'd have chosen soccer over boxing if there was such a choice.
I simply don't believe misgivings about women's boxing are non-existent.
I see no contradiction in admiring Katie Taylor's determination to stand up to those who want to use her as a sex symbol - only those who have no faith in the appeal of their sport would want to do that - and my determination to guide my daughters as I think I should.
True I wouldn't know of Katie Taylor without boxing, although first time I heard her name it was due to soccer. She was (is?) one of Ireland's best women's soccer players. Unfortunately, there is no opportunity for her to earn a living in soccer so I don't know if she'd have chosen soccer over boxing if there was such a choice.
I simply don't believe misgivings about women's boxing are non-existent.
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LwaoiseNíMhaol | May 29, 2012, 05:07 PM EDT
Yank any Irish woman could box the living daylights out of you anyday of the week. I feel sorry for you living in Ireland we must give you a terribly rough time of it for your slightly bizarre views. If you don't feel the burning desire to see an Irish woman claim her birthright and beat the sh**e out of some other woman then you just don't get us. GO KATIE ! yep any chance for the Flag to fly is awesome if you were Irish you woould get it. Mysogynists don't last long here they lack the stamina .... IRISH PEOPLE SAY WHAT WE THINK... you are sexist and we are excited for Katie and true loyal Irish fans GO KATIE!! Don't worry yank us Irish women are constructed differently to your yank gals....we are made of tougher stuff ...;-)
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kinvara7 | May 29, 2012, 08:47 AM EDT
@The Yank: The only reason you know of Katie Taylor is because she is a boxer. Saying you admire her, yet disapproving of her sport and questioning the appropriateness of it is a bit like saying you admire a musician yet don’t listen to their music…tis a strange sort of admiration indeed.
You say that you “admire the way she stood up to those who wanted to sexualize women's boxing” yet you tell us that if your daughter chose to box you would “work hard to discourage” her. Can you not see a certain contradiction? On the one hand you praise Katie for refusing to bend to outside interference that would stereotype her according to her sex. However, on the other hand you show that you yourself would be quite willing to interfere with your daughter’s choices to insure she conformed to the stereotype of her sex!
As regards people in Ireland with misgivings about women’s boxing, you said that “public misgivings about women's boxing are non-existent either because people are afraid of falling afoul of the PC police or they're too desperate to see the Irish flag fly…” What I was criticizing was your attempt to lead your reader’s opinion in such a flawed way. Clearly there is another reason why such misgivings are non-existent, and the reason is a positive one i.e. people respect Katie as an athlete and respect her sport. Do you not agree that this reason exists? Or are you determined to pretend that you are the sole sane man in a world gone mad!
As regards the whole “poorly thought” out articles, I stand by it, if you can improve please do. However, I will say that you are very good at engaging with people who leave comments, and that is to your credit. Regards.
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TheYank | May 24, 2012, 09:42 AM EDT
kinvara7
I "have a track record of writing poorly thought out articles?" So long as you keep coming back to find out if I've improved.
Are you trying to tell me there aren't any people in Ireland who have misgivings about women's boxing? I don't believe that for one second.
I don't see why I can't admire Taylor, but not want to watch her compete. I admire the way she stood up to those who wanted to sexualize women's boxing. I admire her courage in standing up for her faith. I admire the fact that she is by all accounts a thoroughly decent human being. I just don't like women's boxing.
I "have a track record of writing poorly thought out articles?" So long as you keep coming back to find out if I've improved.
Are you trying to tell me there aren't any people in Ireland who have misgivings about women's boxing? I don't believe that for one second.
I don't see why I can't admire Taylor, but not want to watch her compete. I admire the way she stood up to those who wanted to sexualize women's boxing. I admire her courage in standing up for her faith. I admire the fact that she is by all accounts a thoroughly decent human being. I just don't like women's boxing.
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